The Collinsport Chronicles XXVI: The Mask
by Maryland Rose
Summary: Nicholas and Yolanda, Schuyller Rumsen's niece, seek to recover the mask of Baal and obtain Zachary's powers for themselves.
1. Chapter 1

Barmabas has turned a torturer into a dog, to satisfy the angry spirit of his friend. Liz has returned, and is dying of cancer. Yolanda and Nicholas conspire to have Quentin find the mask of Baal.

* * *

Chapter 1

Barnabas hid the small vial. Julia would miss it, surely. And she might suspect him. And he could not doctor the records without getting into serious trouble.

Maybe he should confide in her... but if she did not understand nor sympathize...

Then the light went on.

"What are you doing here?" Julia asked him "and what do you have inside your coat?"

'Nothing."

Julia shook her head. "Feh" she said "you have something and you'd better let me know what it is, or you are fired.

Barnabas pushed the vial back into the cabinet. "I was just checking up on supplies."

"You don't know how to lie to me." Julia said with dismay "Yet you keep at it." she picked up the vial "This? Do you know what this is? Do you realize that it is highly addictive? Are you addicted? Did you catch it again? Why not come to me.? I know that you are sensitized to it, and that I am the one who sensitized you. Why not come to me?"

"It is not for myself."

"For whom, then? You are not a pusher."

"It is for Liz."

"Elizabeth?"

"She is dying of cancer. And she's in pain. What the doctors give her makes her act strange. Makes her snap at people that she loves and who love her. She accuses them of terrible things. She does not want this, specially with Carolyn. She asked me for help, and I have given it to her before."

"If her doctor prescribed her those pain killers, then it is up to him to change them. You know that I am not supposed to interfere with someone else's patient."

"I knew you'd say that. That's why I wanted to take this to her without your knowing about it."

"You cannot do it!"

"Julia, you don't have to know anything about it. Julia, please, I have no degree. I am not bound by any kind of professional courtesy. I only want Liz to stop hurting so much."

Julia stared at him. "I can't allow you to take it out of my cabinet..."

"Then I'll go to street dealers. Do you want that? You know that the stuff they sell is not precisely pure nor Federally inspected.,"

Julia shook her head.

"I'd rather not give Liz the stuff that sells on the streets. Will you help me, Julia? Liz in is pain. She is dying. I want her to be able to make her peace with her daughter. Can't we give her that much?"

"You bastard.." Julia muttered "you know how to twist my arm."

"So it is yes?"

"As you said, I will know nothing about it."

* * *

Quentin lifted weary eyes from the papers. The spelling used in the seventeenth century was hard on him. He thought of himself as old, having been around since the last century. But these were even older.

If he kept at it, he would get the gold mask.

The gold mask... he knew better than that, now. It was the mask of Baal, the one they buried with the headless body of Judah Zachary.

A shiver ran through him as he remembered what Barnabas had told him of Gerard Stiles' fate in that Parallel time that had spilled into theirs. The one they had visited via the time staircase. The mask had led to Gerard being possessed by Judah's spirit.

But that had been because Judah's head had been brought back by Desmond Collins.

There was no head, now. Only the undisturbed, headless body remained, and the mask was now loot for the first comer.

And when he got it...

He'd exorcise Carl and Jenny, and the rest of them. Then, maybe, he'd lay down the law for Carolyn and Roger, to the point that Carolyn would pay any sum of money to have him leave. Then have her change her will in in his favor...

He'd be able to be master of Collinwood at last.

The memories danced in his head. He had wanted it so much. And he had to see it pass to Judith, to Jamison...

Jamison's like ended with Carolyn. David had been disinherited by Roger. Edmund was an obstacle that could be removed...

It was time that Quentin Collins came into his own.

Sadly he realized that the family fortune was not as it had been. And it could maintain itself only by the kind of effort that Carolyn provided. He would never be capable of working that hard.

He did not have the dedication, the capacity for hard work. A sustained effort was something that he could never manage.

No, let Edmund have the fortune and work at it. After all, with the power of the mask, he could gain a lot more riches than the paltry sums that Carolyn had.

* * *

The dog rested at Barnabas' feet, a small growl still on its throat.

Barnabas petted it, speaking in soothing tones. "Now, now, there is nothing to growl at."

He knew that the dog had once been a man, a man that he despised and hated. But he could not hate the dumb beast that lifted its pathetic eyes to him. He had extracted payment from Nunez and now could only feel pity for the frightened creature that found itself cut off from the world that he had always known, with no way to tell anyone what had been done.

He had been training it, and the next time he went to Wyncliiffe, he'd take the dog with him.

He caressed the dog's ears. It was easy to feel affection for the animal, forgetting the misdeeds of the man.

"It will be hard." he told the dog "it will be painful at time, but you will earn your release. As I once earned my own."

He told the dog of his own struggles to regain his lost humanity. How he had first searched for answers outside of himself., waiting for some miracle to work. How he had finally given up on the quest, and at the moment he acknowledge defeat, he had found victory.

"You see, there was humanity in me. And over the years it has grown. It strengthened itself and now it has been fully restored to me. Humanity does not care for the shape of body that it is in. And you, Captain Nunez (I will probably the last one to call you that) you can use your change of circumstances to degrade yourself further. Or you can find the humanity in yourself. You can finally understand what makes a human being, can search for it in yourself. nurture the spark until it grows within you."

The dog did not answer that, as it obviously couldn't. All his other attempts at argument had led to barking fits.

"You may think me cruel. And in a way I am. Not blindly, selfishly cruel as I was once, but purposefully so."

The dog whimpered at that.

"You rather I didn't lecture you?" He petted the head. " nobody likes it. And you cannot answer. Poor Comet.."

The dog howled.

"You don't like your dog name. You don't want to be a dog. But you are a dog and you must be a good one. And you must be trained to behave like one... Come Comet."

He put the leash to the collar and coaxed the dog to come out. They went into the grounds. Those grounds were at torment to Comet. he wanted to chase wildlife, to follow scents, to urinate on trees, lifting his leg. But he would not. He was not a dog. He was a man... He was a proud officer of the Argentine Army..

"Comet, do not fight it. The sooner you accept it the better. I tell you from experience. Fighting it does not good."

* * *

The night was still and calm when Quentin sneaked out of Collinwood, his map in one hand and the spade and lamp in the other.

The burial place of Judah Zachary. He had finally tracked it down by his search of the family papers.

It had been a long, tiresome task, reading paper after paper, shifting through household accounts and other dull reminders of daily life. He had read them all, to the point that he knew what the papers would say before he read them...

He had nearly missed, in his irritation, this one document that had looked at firsts like another laundry list.

But he had noticed it. And read it, and there it was All he had to do was dig, collect his prize, and go back home.

It seemed too easy. There must have been a hitch somewhere...

No. What could that possibly be?

An owl called about him. He looked up, nervously.,

No one had seen him. No one human.. But if Barnabas saw him... or Megan, or Pearce...

And if they did, what was it to them? They could not guess what he was looking for.

Pearce... he night do something He was greedy after treasure, still trying to finance that salvage operation. And the mask was gold. How could he stop Pearce from meddling?

With a stake through the heart. How else?

He did not wish to kill Pearce. Another murder was not what he needed now. But if Pearce made himself a nuisance, he would do it. And this time he would not miss the heart as he had done with Barnabas.

Thus strengthening himself he began digging. He hoped that Derek was not there. He did not wish him harm. He wished no one harm, eleven if it sometimes it resulted from his actions...

He dug under the light of the lantern, straining his muscles, feeling the pain in the palms of his hands as the shovel's' handle rubbed them roughly each time he moved it.

He had been forced into hard work in the past when his money had run out and could not use promises of his inheriting the Collins fortune to get himself credit. He had not liked it. And he did not like it now.

Once the makes was his, he'd never have to worry again.

The mask meant freedom. Freedom from Carl and the others. Freedom from ever needing to do hard work again. Maybe even freedom from Petofi's gift.

It was a while before he found the mask. But the moment came and he stood with it in his hands, caked with dirt, but shining from the light before it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Quentin held the mask next to his body. He had got it. it was his, the mask of Baal, that had once given Zachary his power. Now the power would be his to command.

He sneaked back into Collinwood, looking anxiously at the dark corners, worried that they might hide a thief ready to take the mask from him.

But there was no one. He raced to his room, undressed and lied down in bed, slipping the mask under his pillow.

So he had kept his childish treasures once, he could not keep from thinking. When he was a little boy in this great house...

But that was long ago. He was not a child, and what he hid was not a toy.

No, never again would he be a helpless child, looking afraid at the dark. He had found his way to freedom and would use it.

* * *

Nicholas watched the scene pensively. Quentin had now the mask and would not part willingly with it.

Well, it would not stay long in Quentin's possession. He would have Yolanda do something about it.

* * *

Derek and Liz studied each other, trying to assess what they saw.

"I have heard of you, Mr. Pearce." Liz said.

"All good, I hope."

"Not all good. But what I heard makes me believe that you are the one I need."

"Oh?"

"They seem to believe that you'll do anything for money."

Derek stiffened. "Not everything. Nothing that would involve hurting people."

Liz took out her checkbook "I don't want to hurt anyone. And I can pay you well for your services."

"What kind of services?"

Liz wrote the check and placed it in front of Derek. Then she explained what the services were.

His face reflected his shock. No one had asked that of him.

Still, it was good money. And it did not precisely involve hurting people...

"All right. I'll do it."

"Starting now."

* * *

George could not hide his disgust at seeing Comet chained outside.

"Must you keep him like this?"

"Like what?"

"Chained to a tree."

"How else would you keep a dog? He has shade, food, water, and I take him out regularly for walks and exercise."

"For God's sake, you know what I mean! That is no ordinary dog. He was a man once!"

"What is the point of turning him into a dog if you treat him like a man? he has to learn to be a dog."

"Like this?"

"I do not mistreat him. I treat him better than most people treat their dogs."

"But that's not really a dog"

"He is more than a dog, but also less. he has to learn a few hard lessons. If he wants to stop being a dog, he has to embrace his humanity. He has a lot of dog virtues, but not enough human ones."

George shivered as Barnabas went to Comet and petted him.

"You see." Barnabas said. "He understands how things will be with him. He had begun to accept it."

"It is wrong."

"Why?"

"Because there are certain tings that you do not do to a human being."

"Not even when he's done far worse things to other human beings? Not even when it is a way to teach him right from wrong?"

George growled, too angry to form words.

"George" Barnabas said softy " I know how this sticks in your throat, but you'll have to be patient with his. It is a hard lesson that Comet is learning."

"Nunez, damn it, Call him by his real name!"

"His name is Comet until he has learned what he needs to learn."

George turned away, disgusted.

"You, of all people" he said bitterly "I thought that you knew better than to get revenge. What would have happened if I had taken revenge on you for killing Dave?"

"It would have been wrong. But it was not wrong for Dave to teach me a harsh truth or two, nor make me aware of my responsibilities. That he forgave me never meant that I could to walk away from what I needed to do for Julia, or for you."

"For me?"

"He told me that he died before he could release you. That you were still stuck being his boy instead of your own man. That I needed to help you grow up."

"And that passed through my bed? Nice to know that you sleep with me to settle that debt."

"I would have slept you once or twice fort that. If I had not liked it, I would have found other way... No, only the first couple of times it was duty or gratitude. After that, I wanted you. I still want you."

"So... what has it to do with... Comet?"

"He needs to settle accounts with Norma and the others. He needs to see them as people, needs to mourn them, needs to be reconciled to them.. If not, Norma may not be able to rest properly."

"You said that you released her."

"I started the process. But she still has a lot of anger and hate to be rid of. She needs to watch Nunez's repentance, genuine repentance before she can pass on. And you know that I owe her that."

"So I have to let you do?"

"Yes. I know how much Norma still hurts. I wish I could release Carl and the others, but I can't. But I can release Norma... That should be enough."

* * *

Quentin tossed in his sleep, dreaming of the power that would be his in the morning when he donned the mask of Baal and called on its powers.

It still seemed impossible that he could have so much at hand.

He was lying now in a golden couch, with precious stones embedded in it.

Barely clad girls danced around him, like the dancers that he had seen in Egypt. And they danced for him... their eyes were filled with adoration when they looked at him.

They knelt by his feet and waited, trying to catch his attention. They crawled on the dirt and kissed his feet. He did not look at them.

That was as it should be. At his feet. Willing slaves for him.

Jenny was there, dragging her red hair behind her. And Magda, young as he had never known her, called him Master and begged his forgiveness.

One of the girls looked like Judith. His treacherous sister Judith. He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and she went away, sobbing. He would not have that face near him.

Other girls came closer, swinging their hips.

"Carolyn" he commanded.

"Master?" Carolyn asked, eagerly.

"You have displeased me, slave." he saw her flinch "you have forgotten your place."

Carolyn wept. "Do not punish me, Master."

"You have to be punished" he clapped his hands and tow of the girls at his feet rose.

"Chain her with the other one." he told her, "The one called Laura. Later I will devise a punishment for them both."

Carolyn was led away, sobbing.

The girls resumed dancing, and he studied them, trying to make his decision.

They collapsed in a circle at his feet. He walked among them prodding them with his feet, seeing how they shivered as he did this.

"You" he pointed to Amanda Harris "you come with me."

She crawled to his feet. He lifted her by the wrists and threw her on the couch.

He fell on her while the other girls stayed still, frozen into position.

Thus he dreamed while Yolanda tiptoed into his room. She placed her hand on his forehead, thus making sure he'd go on sleeping, then took out the mask from under the pillow and left the room as silently as she had come in.

* * *

He had it. Nicholas let out a yell of triumph. The mask of Baal was his! All his own.

He had done well in burning the head of Zachary when he had found it. No Master over him!

Yet something worried him. What, he could not tell, but he decided to take some precautions when Yolanda came in.

He lifted the floorboards and motioned to Urien to get up. The living zombie that he had created obeyed and stood in silence waiting for further commands.

"Yolanda will be here. With luck, she will still be under my control. But if anything happens, you will handle her."

* * *

Yolanda raced through the woods, clutching the mask to herself. She was now brining tit to her Master, to Nicholas...

And Nicholas watching her in his mini-stage grinned "It is not too far away, my dear." he said, under his breath.

Her foot caught something. She stumbled and fell.

She pulled at her ankle, which seemed caught while at the same time reaching for the mask which had fallen by her side.

As she reached for it, the mask touched the brand on her wrist, the one that Nicholas had put there.

She pulled her hand away, in pain.

She stared dumbly at the burn and then she looked at the mask that was now beginning to glow.

Her skin was changing. She could see it peel away, leaving clean, unmarked skin behind.

The brand was gone. And so was the hold that Nicholas had on her mind.

She remembered now how Nicholas had deceived her and made her his slave.

But no more...

The mask glowed and she turned to look at it. It gave her a feeling of strength, of confidence.

"Get up!" Nicholas commanded her.

Yolanda lifted the mask in hr hands, feeling how her ankle healed.

"I am writing," Nicholas insisted.

She lifted the mask well above her head, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Nicholas!" she shouted "Nicholas Blair! Listen to me! You do not order me anymore! You don't own me anymore!"

The mask made her feel powerful. There was nothing that she could not do.

"Look Nicholas! Look around you!"

There was an explosion behind him. He turned and he saw fire around him. Fire, against which he was powerless.

"Look a the fire Nicholas, and see your death!" she laughed as she placed the mask over her face.

"It is mine, now! The power is mine!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nicholas ran to the door. The smoke burned his lungs and eyes. The fire encircled him... the was going to die in there, listening to her laughter...

"Urien!" he called "Urien!"

Slowly Urien began moving, eyes blank, oblivious of his surroundings.

"Get me out of here!" Nicholas howled "get me out!"

Urien reached Nicholas, caught him by the shoulder and dragged him out, even crossing fire to do it. Nicholas screamed as the fire touched him, but Urien got him through and he was outside, with Urien beating off the flames from his clothes.

Painfully Nicholas got up and watched how the flames devoured the cottage.

And his tools were inside. They would be lost. And also the money he had. And...

"Go back inside!" he ordered Urien "Get my things!"

Urien obeyed and reappeared after a few minutes carrying a load. His hair was on fire. He dropped his load and made as if to return inside.

"Come back!" Nicholas ordered, realizing for the firsts time what he was doing.

Was he crazy? Did he want to kill the kid? Whatever powers he had now came from the kid's life force. He needed him to live far more than he needed his other things. Feverishly he extinguished the fire in Urien's hands and clothes, wondering how damaged he was. He had to live. He needed him alive.

"Let's go Urien. Leave. Let her think that she killed me."

* * *

Sandy had not changed much since the last time he had seen her. Still angry, still defiant.

But now she was angry at a different set of people. Or maybe the same ones. She was angry with him because he had not been up to convincing her in the past that her chosen path was wrong.

She had once loved Barnabas and shrank from that love with terror, as the dutiful wife she decided she was. She had shielded herself from those unwelcome feelings by bigotry.

But that had failed her. She found herself the object of the same bigotry that she used on others, Unwisely, she decided that she was now free to pursue Barnabas. Only Barnabas was not interested in her.

She had grown angrier and shriller in her rejection of the causes she had once espoused, angrily, and shrilly. She had settled for Chris Jennings. If she could not have the vampire, she would have the werewolf. But Chris was not what she wanted, could not be Barnabas, only Chris. Maybe not even Barnabas could come up to the idea of Barnabas that Sandy had...

At some point she admitted to herself her failure, and so she was here, back at the beginning.

Only, as Megan had told him, there was now a threat hanging over her head and her children's.

"Sandy" Anselm begged her once more " think of your children."

And once again Sandy rejected his pleas. "I have listened as much as I possibly can out of you., Reverend, Now get out!"

Anselm got up. It was no use. Argument with Sandy brought only hysterics and wild accusations.

Yet he would not admit defeat. Not in this.

* * *

Yolanda studied the mask, admiring its beauty. She ran a finger over the golden cheek, and around the holes that were the eyes.

"This is mine! You stole it!"

She turned to Quentin with disdain. "It was never yours."

"I found it! It is mine!"

Yolanda extended her hand, with the mask in it "You want it?"

He moved closer. "Give it to me, thief!"

And as Quentin lunged to grab it, a flash of blue light ran from it to Quentin's arm.

Quentin could not even find the breath to scream with. He fell to his knees, panting, holding his arms, as tears streamed from his eyes.

"Come, take it. If you dare." she invited him again ."

Quentin whimpered, still holding his arm.

"Let that be a lesson to you. Don't bother me again."

* * *

George looked at the charred remains of the cottage with misgivings.

Fire was bad enough. He had seen the results of it too often. But this was worse. Some of the bent metal objects that he had found suggested it

He walked over the site, shifting the ashes with his foot.

"No bodies?" he asked.

"No, no bodies." the deputy confirmed "Whatever was inside here managed to escape."

"And kept clear of us. No one has been to the hospital for treatment of burns? Smoke inhalation?"

"No."

He liked it less and less. He had been around Angelique long enough to recognize some of the ritual objects and instruments that she sometimes used. And some of the other metallic objects were parts of orthopedic devises. Like hooks used for hands.

It seemed that Nicholas Blair was back in town. And he might have grown hands, if he had left the prosthetic ones behind...

* * *

Urien was feverish. Nicholas fed him, watching him shiver.

He had been burned badly and was now paying for it.

So was he. And this cave in which they had found refuge was not the ideal place to stay. But it had been the best that he could do. he could not afford to be seen or Yolanda would begin to hunt for him.

Urien had to live. if he died, it was all over. He needed Urien's life force. Without Urien, without the ritual objects that he had lost in the fire, he was helpless.

He needed the mask. But Urien could not get it now. If he tried he would die on the way..

Urien had to get better soon.

* * *

Was it right to do this? Derek still did not like the idea... he had never done anything like this before..

Still, the money was good. and he needed it. He had made a bundle with the horses last year, but it was not enough and he did not thing that it was wise to repeat it too soon.

It wasn't as if he was preying on some unsuspecting or helpless victim,. It was a business arrangement. Payment over value received. What he had to offer was of value to her.

So why look at a gift horse in the mouth? Just take the money and run, as he always did.

* * *

Barnabas sat at Liz's bedside.

"You have helped me." Liz said "it feels better now."

"I am glad I was of help."

"You won't have to do this much longer. I haven't got long."

Barnabas nodded, involuntarily reminding himself of all the deathbeds he would have to be at, the goodbyes he'd have to make... even George...

"I had so little time." Liz said wistfully "I never did what I really wanted to do... Paul... when I think of all he took from me I could kill him, for real, this time."

"Jeb Hawkes did it for you."

"Good for him. There was something good in the boy, after all. And now, that I am beginning to enjoy myself, this happens. It isn't fair, you know."

"No, it is not."

* * *

"I saw Sandy today." There was weariness in Anselm's voice as eh spoke to Megan "I wonder whether there is any point in my talking to her."

"She was always stubborn. At least for a while she listened to me. Now, no one can reach her."

"But we can't sit and wait for the full moon so that she kills her children!" Anselm shouted.

"No, we can't" Megan threw her chair back. "Do you realize, Rev, that you are asking me to do something that might be unethical, and certainly illegal?"

"I understand that."

"Good." Megan's eyes met Anselm's' "As long as we understand each other. You want it done?"

"Yes."

"I don't want you to get squeamish afterwards."

"I won't" Anselm protested.

"In which case I will do it. Free of charge. I still have some guilt feelings where she is concerned. I have a senses that this is one debt that I have not yet paid.."

* * *

Very soon Comet would be ready for Wyncliffe. Barnabas patted him on the head, pleased that he was adjusting so well.

"You are going to be a good animal therapist." he said "and you are going to earn your keep."

"Barnabas!" Buffy's voice reached him. "You are wanted on the phone."

Barnabas let Comet go and ran inside, almost stepping on one of the cats, who looked on him reproachfully.

"Thank you." He looked at Buffy wondering how much Frank 'didn't mind' that she was doing cleaning. But then they had run into expenses and they needed the money. And after Urien... after what had happened to him no one had taken care of this place.

No...he had to have hope for Urien. He would be found. Alive.

He took the phone.

"Barnabas!" It was Vicky at the other end of the line And she was crying.

"Vicky! Is that you? Is anything wrong?"

"Phillip's disappeared." she managed to say "and I am pregnant. And... I have no money."

"What happened?"

"We ran out of money. Phillip could not get enough jobs playing. And the expenses were more than what we made. and I got pregnant and one day he id not come home. The police looked for him and could not find him. I don't know if he's dead or...

"Calm down, Vicky. I'll send you money and a ticket back here. When you get here you can tell me all about it. Come back, Vicky. You know you always have a home here."

* * *

Quentin should have learned his lesson. If he did not, then it was up to her to give him more of the same.

But Quentin did not matter. it was not with him that she had to deal.

She had to punish the adventuress, the deceiver.

Nicholas had said that Angelique had powers. As he himself had. But she had overcome Nicholas, and she would overcome Angelique.

What would she do? First , she planned to get her to confess to bigamy. That and getting Uncle Schuyller's money back.

But that did not seem enough. After dealing with Nicholas and Quentin, she was aware of more delicious fates that she could impose on Angelique There were many things that a witch was vulnerable to. Like fire. Like cold iron.

She wondered where she had learned those things. She had not known of it when Nicholas had lured her into Collinsport... Well, she did now. Maybe she had heard it from Nicholas. Maybe she had learned it from the mask.

Never mind that. She would handle Angelique. Make he sorry that she had ever looked at Uncle Schuyller.

* * *

"Do I have to go through it again?" Megan was becoming irritated. "We do not have that many choices" she sighed. "sometimes I regret that you reformed. You ended up with more scruples than Barnabas."

"I do not like doing this to Sandy." Angelique said.

"We did it to Iris. I know, we said that it was to make sure that when she broke down, it would be in a way that did not hurt anyone, not even herself.."

"I am still uneasy about it.."

"Are you uneasy about Delia and Violet?"

"We had to do to save Tammy and Iris."

"And now we are saving Sandy's children. That's good enough for me."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Phillip has disappeared." Barnabas told Megan what Vicky had told him. "It is not like him to disappear like this, leaving a pregnant wife behind."

"Did he leave any kind of note?"

"No. You mean a suicide note?... No, he would not do that."

"He might have killed himself to let Vicky have the insurance money. But, of course, if it was known it was suicide, the company would not pay. Poor Phillip." Megan shook her head. "he had no money sense. I used to take care of that, but Vicky could not do it. Phillip should not have tried to make a living as an artist. Too much economic uncertainty. Today you are raking in money, tomorrow no one wants you. Maybe the day after, tomorrow, you'll be lucky again. And maybe not... I wish I had done more. I wish I had warned them, somehow.

"I feel like I failed him. Both of them."

* * *

Yolanda stepped out of the room. Edmund did not need her constant supervision now and she was impatient to test the powers of the mask.

"She's a weird one, inst' she?" Elsa commented to Edmund.

"I guess she's all right." Edmund said, patronizingly "Uncle Roger still thinks that here is something odd about her."

"And you do, too?"

Edmund shrugged, aping a sophistication that he was far from having. "Sometimes Uncle Roger exaggerates."

In an uncharacteristic display of tact, Elsa refrained from commenting on Roger's mental abilities.

"How's your shell collecting doing?" Edmund asked.

"Haven't been doing it lately. I've been busy. You see, Mr. Davenport, you know him, is interested in U.F.O.s and he wants photos of them, so I have been trying to take them."

"Have you?"

"No. But Mr. Shaw is helping me. He was a way of knowing..."

* * *

Julia welcomed Barnabas and the dog to Wyncliffe.

"Is this the dog you spoke about?"

"Yes."

"Looks a bit too large. Too much like a wolf." Julia frowned. "I do not think that it would be a good idea to let him near the children."

"Oh, I am sure you can." he caressed Comet's ears. "He's very gentle."

"Well, I guess if you can keep him from howling when he sniffs you, you can get him to do anything."

"Well, getting over that was not so difficult. He knows who feeds him. The hard part is coping with the cats getting jealous. I think that they'll be glad that he's gone."

In spite of her reservations, Julia came close to the dog. "Yes. Looks like a nice dog. It is just that I don't like large dogs. Not this breed at least..." she shook her head. "Never mind, it has noting to do with you or the dog. But still, he could make a lot of trouble here, you know."

"No trouble, I assure you."

"As if I didn't know what your assurances are worth."

"Come on, Julia."

"All right. You can have him. On a trial basis only. If it works, I might reconsider."

* * *

Megan waited outside of Sandy's house. Tonight she would be able to protect Sandy's children and to put some sense into Sandy's head.

Angelique was working on the ritual needed to bring about Sandy's relapse, a few days ahead of schedule, when she could give it full-time attention. She hoped that that would not make Sandy suspicious. The relapse should not appear to be caused by outside forces, or the point that she was trying to make to Sandy would be lost.

* * *

Sandy was about to put the children to bed. She had been sewing and watching TV. She wondered if she should add more fuel to the stove.

No, there was no need. it was warm enough.

In fact, it was too hot.

She removed her sweater after both her children were in bed, under orders to go to sleep. She'd better get back to her sewing. Davenport expected more orders and wanted to be well stocked... She should have trained her assistants better. But then she had interrupted their training to run away with Chris Jennings...

It was Chris' fault. And Barnabas' and Megan's.

It was hot in there. She undid her collar and scratched under it. Her clothes were so itchy...

Her clothes were itching... just as they were when... when she changed.,...

No. She was not going to change again.

Megan and Trask had tried to warn her...

But it wasn't true. She had noting to worry about, for noting could touch her now. It just wasn't true what they said. They had lied so much to her in the past, and this was another of their lies.

Still, it was too hot...

From outside Megan watched her with a mixture of pity and irritation. Why was she so stubborn? Why did she force them into this? She had never seen anyone with such a capacity for self-deception, Not even Barnabas.

Sandy still wasn't changing. Oh, well. She would, soon. And it would be painful.

The pain started.

Sandy doubled up, holding her stomach, trying to tell herself that it was something that she ate, nothing more.

But then more pains came and as she fell from the chair, she realized that Chris had been right.

"Mother!" Cindy's voice said from upstairs. "what's wrong?"

"Mother!" her brother repeated.

The children... in the same house with her. In her mind, she saw them running downstairs, running to their mother.

And finding what? A hungry wolf?

She tried desperately to make contact with the wolf mind as she had been taught to. But it was too hungry to notice her. A hunger that had to be satisfied...

She had kept it hungry for too long, and tonight it would feed.

"No! Not my children!"

And flesh would do for a wolf.

She argued and pleaded with it, but it was too late for that. Her body was changing and her mind was becoming blank, being swallowed up by the wolf mind...

She fought it and for a moment it seemed as if she had won. The she looked down and knew that it was not so.

She was outside her own body. And she could see it changing. And she could hear the footsteps of her children coming down the stairs.

Helpless, she saw the hair cover her body. Saw the body get up and face the stairs. Not a wolf body. A monstrous hybrid that could still walk on its hind feet.

And then Cindy was down, in her nightgown.

"Cindy!" Sandy screamed soundlessly.

The creature lunged.

Then a quick flash of pain reached her in her disembodied form. A pain that she knew well. The touch of silver.

Megan was now between the slavering beast and her children, using a small silver ring as a weapon. As Barnabas had once protected her from Tom Jennings with his cane.

The beast lunged again and Megan blocked its way again.

Even disembodied as she was. she was aware of the feelings of the creature that her body had become. She knew its hunger and rage. She knew of the terrible _need_ that had to be satisfied.

And Megan was all that stood between that creature and her children.

Megan and the beast were grappling with each other. The wolf's teeth grazed Megan's shoulder, but Megan pushed the beat out of the house, closing the door behind it.

Megan had been wounded. Slightly. She still held on to her silver ring, but did not used it anymore than he needed to. She had to guide the wolf away from children and other people, anyone who could be hurt, and into the woods where it could hunt deer.

And the deer came into view. The creature sniffed them and gave chase. Megan followed it until the creature claimed its prey. Then she stepped back, leaving it alone to feed.

Sandy watched the beast devouring the raw flesh, sickened to know that it was her own body doing this thing. And looking into the glazed eyes of the slaughtered doe, she knew that it could be her children's eyes staring t her while the wolf devoured them.

The wolf's movements became lethargic now that its hunger had been satisfied. Sandy was pulled back into her own body. She was aware that Megan was approaching her, writing something... She was tired... She wanted to sleep...

She woke up lying over the carcass, covered in blood.

It was daylight. All that remained of Megan was a note.

"Dear Sandy:

Do not worry. You changed last night, but no harm was done. I hope you don't mind my telling you 'I told you so'. I have been keeping my eye on you, and I managed to keep your children safe. The deer was the only victim of your spree.

Megan Graham"

Sandy got up. She was shivering, and not from cold.

She walked back home, dreading what her children would ask her. How could she explain it to them?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sebastian sat on the floor, humming the meditation chant over and over as he concentrated.

Angelique looked at him with affectionate concern. Sebastian woke maternal instincts in her. She cared for him, watched over him and felt guilty because her need for adult companionship led her to strange beds.

Maybe it had been the same way with Roxanne. Maybe that was the kind of relationship that Sebastian wanted, or at least, he had the habitude of.

Every now and then she and Megan shared a bed. She would not feel guilty about it. It was not an affair. It was a friendship that sometimes needed sexual expression. Neither of them was under the delusion that it was love, or could be.

Still, Sebastian could be hurt if he found out.

Angelique grimaced, recognizing Roxanne's true revenge. Having to care for the bird with a broken wing that she had left behind. A bird subject to fits of pique and that always tried to assert his independence.

Well, someone had to take care of Sebastian. He certainly could not fend for himself.

Sebastian kept blanking out his mind, searching for the answer to Xavier's questions. It meant much that he could do it. I would show Collins and the others that he was not a fake, that he was more than just a kept man.

* * *

Nicholas woke up in a cold sweat. It had seemed so real, the fire... it had almost consumed him.

Then, as he finished waking up, he remembered. No, it was not wholly a dream. He had escaped it a few days ago and he now hid in here, waiting for Yolanda's revenge.

His only source of power was Urien and he could feel him weakening. He had been hurt in the fire and instead of allowing him to recover, he had drained him further to recover from his own injuries.

What was left of his power hung on the thread of Urien's life. Once that was gone, that was it.

He had to get the mask back., had to gamble for it.

* * *

Adam brought the canvas out into the cold outdoors.

He set it down and began painting, a clear line of blue against pale grey.

He wondered if he could paint Liz's face.

Not yet... He wished that eh could show Liz her portrait, yet he also dreaded it.

He could not lie, even for her. Not with his brush and paints.

How could he let Liz know his true feelings for her? How to let her know that while he felt affection for her, it wasn't more than that... that he had married her to get revenge of Barnabas, nothing more?

* * *

Sandy was there, as Megan had said she would, in her phone call last night.

"Please, help me, doctor." she said.

"I will." Julia said quietly. Sandy was shaken enough. There was no need to rub it in.

But Sandy could do it all by herself. "I was warned and I did not want to believe" she castigated herself "When I think of what might have happened. What's going to happen now?"

"You have two alternatives. Either resume transforming on a regular basis to keep your beast quiet, or take the full treatment that I offered you."

"I think that I want the full treatment."

"Good. When can you start?"

Sandy hesitated "Will Barnabas be the therapist?"

Julia studied her. "Do you want him?"

Sandy shook her head, a bit ashamed "No, not him."

"As you wish. It doesn't matter. He won't feel offended if I assign you to someone else."

* * *

"Well, Comet" Barnabas spoke to the dog "No problems? Julia does not suspect that you are not just a dog?"

The dog made a sound between a growl and a whine.

"I wonder about her reaction to you, though. And she asked me what breed you were. Whether you had some Doberman in you. Or German Shepherd. Why should that be?"

Comet growled again.

"Come. It is about time you started work. But still I got the feeling that it would be better if you didn't get in her way."

* * *

Liz slept easily, a slight smile on her lips.

Derek looked at her and smiled too. Easiest buck ever made. And what was the harm in it? It was what Liz had asked for, wasn't it?

It was lucky that Barnabas did not agree to this, because if he did, he would do it for free. And that would not do.

He looked at the check again. A tidy sum of money it was. Mrs. Deale Atwater certainly could be grateful.

* * *

"So Sandy does not want me to be the therapist?" Barnabas said, a bit hurt.

"You understand why it must be so." Julia said reasonably. "the important thing is that the threat to her children is removed."

"Yes. I know. She's always been in love with me. No, I would have refused if she had asked for me. I'll make a point of avoiding her so as not to give rise to temptation."

"As long as avoiding her does not mean that you act as if she's got a repulsive and highly contagious disease. Use your brain."

"I will. By the way, you know that by tomorrow Vicky gets here."

"And you want the day off."

"Someone has to greet her when she gets here. And there is nothing urgent for me to do. All, right, I'll take leave without pay."

* * *

Urien crept on the darkened grounds, unaware of the pain and exertion of his body. He was killing himself by doing this when he should be resting and rebuilding his strength, but he was unable to complain.'

He climbed up the ivy into the room where he knew that Yolanda slept. He pushed up the window slowly and it gave. Nicholas' power made it possible.

Yolanda's eyes opened. She knew immediately that there was someone in the room. She stood ready to fight, to scream.

But no sound came, for Urien began to strangle her.

She clawed at his hands, kicked against the bedcovers. Then he knelt over her legs, immobilizing her.

She kept clawing at him, but the lack of air paralyzed her.

She could feel the beatings of her heart, the pain in her head... Why didn't she keep the mask always with her?

...Must attract attention, somehow...

Her hand caught the bedside lamp, She pulled at the cord and made it fall. It crashed noisily.

She continued struggling, getting weaker and weaker, and wondering if they'd come to her in time.

The light went on and Quentin and Roger rushed in.

Roger hit Urien. Urien staggered and Quentin caught him and subdued him.

"Miss Oates,, are you all right?"

She nodded weakly.

"Where is it?" Quentin asked her. "Where did you put it?"

Urien had slumped to the floor. "He's out of it." Roger said "Is she all right?"

"Yes, she is." Quentin said.

"I am going to call the police."

Roger left them. Quentin and Yolanda faced each other.

"Well, where is it?"

Yolanda shook her head.

"You tell me where it is or..." he caught her finger and bent it backwards. "I want it, Miss Oates."

She shook her head again, and he broke her finger.

"I don't like this any more than you do. But I don't like being played for a sucker. I want the mask and I want it now."

She nodded.

"So you are more reasonable now. Where is it?"

She pointed to the closet.

"In here?"

She nodded.

He opened the closet and went in. She laid herself back, her hand reaching under the mattress. She had not gotten it out in time for Urien, but she would get it for Quentin.

"It isn't here!" Quentin turned angrily.

And shut up, because it was now staring t him, over Yolanda's face.

Her finger was healed. So was her throat. She spoke to Quentin.

"You will never cross me again.."

"You can't" Quentin said, scared. "they'll suspect."

"It is about time you had an ulcer, the way you haven't been taking care of yourself."

The pain seared through Quentin, He fell down to his knees, holding his stomach.

"I hope that I don't have to teach you another lesson."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Urien tried to kill Miss Oates? I can't believe he'd do that." that was the first thing that Barnabas said.

"He was caught by Roger and Quentin." Julia forestalled Barnabas' objections "And that's not the worst. He's in a coma. And exhausted. I want to look at him. It may be something that we have run across before."

"I want to go with you."

"I won't have it any other way. Besides" she grinned this time. "this will allow you to welcome Vicky back without losing a day's pay."

* * *

Yolanda put the mask over her face with slow, assured movements.

It was a strange feeling that invaded her when she did this. Yet one that she found comforting.

Why should she find it otherwise? With his mask there was nothing that she could not do. No danger could reach her. And those who tried, would not try again.

She thought briefly of Nicholas Blair. Certainly last night's attack was his doing. She should teach him once and for all.

Yet Nicholas deserved punishment. But he was not the fist to be punished. First it should be Miranda, the traitor.

Miranda, also known as Angelique. Bigamist. Traitor. It was for her sake that she had come to Collinsport, and she would not leave Collinsport until she had seen her duly punished.,

There were many ways to destroy her. She had to find one that was fitting.

* * *

Urien's eyes were blank. Barnabas sat by his side and took his hand, but Urien did not reach.

"What's the matter with him? " he asked.

"Burns. Exhaustion. Dehydration. Weakness. Catatonia" Kenneth recited the symptoms.''

"What could have happened to lead him to such a state?"

"Evidently he was in a fire. You should check with the sheriff on that. He should have rested and gotten medical attention. He did not."

"What will happen to him?"

"He is young and strong. With proper medical care he might recover. Still it seems as if somehow his strength, his vitality, is being sapped."

Barnabas and Julia looked at each other. The same thought came to them,. Roxanne in Parallel Time...

But who could have done this?

* * *

Chris heard the news with relief. "So Sandy is now taking the full cure?"

"Yes." Megan said at the other end of the line. "And in her case it is the smart thing to do. She's too unstable to manage it as you do."

"Did she ask Barnabas to be her therapist?" Chris asked with a tinge of jealousy.

"No.":

"So she is growing up at last. I was a consolation prize for her, nothing more. She could not have the vampire, so she took the werewolf. In a way, I should be glad that this is over. The relationship was strained from the start. But I can't keep from being hurt."

"It is quite natural."

"If I were there, I'd go cry on your shoulder..."

"Yes, you would. But you wanted warm weather and a change of scenery."

"Which I got."

"Do you regret it now?"

"No. It's been good. I word at the University, and that allows me to take classes. I am getting educated. So is Amy. And maybe her boyfriend will want to get serious with her. "

* * *

"So you think that Nicholas Blair is back in town?" Julia asked George.

"What we found in the fire supports it. And Urien." George pointed to him, motionless in his bed. "the way he looks is as if his life force is being drained off. Nicholas Blair would know how to do it. And grow himself new hands."

"He turned Urien into a living zombie, all right." Julia said. "I wish I could get my hands on him."

"You are not the only one to wish that."

"Well, if it is that, the process can be reversed. And we know how to do it."

* * *

Vicky came to the train station, clutching the suitcase to herself... She was back at the Collinsport station. Just like years ago... the desolation was still there, on the walls, on the floor... a station that had been saved from closing by luck and nothing else.

And her... the desolation was in her. Where was Phillip? Had he, as Barnabas had hinted, killed himself so that she could have the insurance money? She did not want to think about it.

Why did this have to happen? They seemed to be doing so well, then things began to go wrong fast. Not enough people were interested in Phillip's playing. Too many other musicians around, and many of them willing to work for less money than Phillip. They did not play so well, but the half drunk patrons of the nightclubs clubs did not care...

And then she had gotten herself pregnant.

At least, she had a place to come to. It had taken her a while to recognize it, but Collinsport was her home.

Then she saw Willie come to her, as if he realized that it was late.

"Hi." he said, out of breath "Barnabas told me to pick you up. He was a bit confused and he thought it meant AM instead of PM, when you got in. But then, what with this emergency they are having..."

"What emergency?"

"Urien Yost. The kid that has my old job with Barnabas."

"Your old job? I thought that it was Miss Harrington."

"She married Frank Torrance. And Barnabas took in this boy, Urien Yost, to give him a home. And now the kid is in a coma. Barnabas is real worried about the kid. He's always taking in birds with a broken wing. Hey! What's the matter?" he asked as Vicky stumbled, growing pale. "did I say anything wrong?"

"No." Vicky shook her head. "It is not you. I just remembered something that Phillip once said to me and... and...

The sobs that she had been holding all her long journey home broke through. She had held on as long as she could. Now that she had at last found safe harbor, she was finally able to weep.

"It is all right, Vicky" Willie pt his arm around her. "I understand."

"If at least I knew what happened to him. Tell me, am I a jinx?"

"No. Why?"

"So how come all the men that have loved me came to a bad end? First Burke, then Peter, and now Phillip. Why is it so?"

Willie did not try to answer it. Vicky had _had_ too much bad luck with men. Maybe there was something to it.

"I am going to take you home, to see Louella and Pearl. You never met Pearl, did you?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7'

Vicky held Pearl close to her. Willie's baby. Just as she would soon her own baby. Hers and Phillip's.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?' Barnabas said. "she's even begun to talk. Da-da or ma-ma mostly. She calls me ma-ma. I am trying to teach her to say "Uncle Barnabas", but no way. It is a bit embarrassing." but the way he grinned showed that he did not mind the embarrassment at all.

Vicky smiled back a bit shyly. "You always wanted a kid of your own, didn't you?"

"Yes. I did. I still do. I have not give up as I did for Josette. I can get a child while I know that I can't get Josette back. How much did Willie tell you about Urien?"

"That he lived with you. That he was missing, and now he's in a coma." Willie had said other things, but she would not repeat them to Barnabas.

"His condition seems to have stabilized. I talked with Julia and there is something we can try. He should be getting better once that is done."

"It hope it works then."

"You never meet him."

"No. I had left town by they time he showed up."

Barnabas nodded. "You only know what Willie told you. About his being a hustler."

"Some of it... yes."

Actually, Willie had called Urien a little creep and worse.

"I imagine what Willie told you. And I know why he told you that."

"He seemed upset over him."

"Upset is a polite word." Barnabas said without rancor. "Willie hates Urien cordially. He's jealous of the attention I give him. You see, Urien is very much the way Willie used to be when we first met, and Willie resents him for it. Also Urien was careless enough to... to display his wares to Willie. I managed to talk him out of doing that, but Willie is still shocked. Urien was functionally illiterate. I had to teach him how to read. I hadn't taught anyone since Ben... I never took that kind of trouble over Willie. In fact, I mistreated him horribly. And Willie can't forgive that."

"What do you mean, illiterate? I understood that the had been in High School."

"And came out of it without knowing how to read or write. It is a scandal what is happening to education in this country. And even college graduates. I had one engineer ask me once , in earnest. whether Roosevelt was a Democrat. How can they turn out people, so... so ignorant? It is unconscionable.. How can a democracy survive if the population is not educated? I don't know how the US will survive."

He stopped. Wrong moment to deliver a lecture.

"Anyway." he continued "Once I convinced him that it could be done, he turned into a great reader. .He's quite bright."

"You sound like a proud father."

"And why not? I feel like I am his father. And once Julia and I get him on his feet, I am going to adopt him."

* * *

"Why don't you want to bring Peter to live with us?" Zeb asked Jessica.

"I do not know if he's ready to become an outpatient. Sylvia thinks that he needs to stay under her care for a few more weeks."

"Or Sylvia things that we are not ready to take care of him."

"Well, I am not ready. I work full time, and a disturbed child like Peter needs someone who can stay with him the whole time. We need to hire someone to do so. And we have to be careful who we choose."

"You do not like to have Peter for some reason."

"Two reasons. He is a very disturbed child, and I am not sure that I can cope with him. And I do not like that you got into this as a way to hurt Barnabas."

"You still like him, don't you?' There was an accusing tone in Zeb's vice."

"Well, I think that you went overboard with him. But I wish that you fought your battles with him over a different battlefield than a severely disturbed child."

* * *

Carolyn's held Liz's hand, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I love you, mother." she said.

"I know you do." Liz smiled weakly "I love you too. You were a good daughter."

"I was impossible."

"No. You were not. I was a difficult mother." she tightened her hold on Carolyn's hand. "Carolyn, could I ask you one thing?"

Carolyn nodded..

"You know that I am dying. I have very few days left. Don't try to deny it."

Carolyn looked down. "I know " she admitted.

"But three is more. I have taken certain... precautions. Carolyn, do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Enough to do what I ask without asking questions?"

"Yes. Whatever it is I will do it."

* * *

"Sebastian."

Sebastian lifted his head.

"Sebastian, have you forgotten me already?"

"That voice. Could that be Roxanne's voice?"

"Sebastian."

Roxanne was gone. She was dead. She had been murdered in cold blood.

And he slept with Roxanne's murderess.

"We had good times, Sebastian. Have you forgotten them?"

"Roxie...I..."

"You know what they did to me. You know what _she_ did to me."

It was impossible for Roxanne to be there. But she was.

Her eyes were bright with tears, as beautiful as he remembered her.

Then the blood began to flow out of her, staining her clothes, covering her, until it was impossible to tell what their original color was.

"They did this to me, Sebastian. don't you remember?"

"I tried to prevent it, Roxie. They took me by surprise. I was bound and gagged. I could not help you!"

"I know that you could not. You did not betray me. Not _then_." she added significantly.

"I..., Roxie...never...

"Why did you become Angelique's lover? Don't you know what she is, what she did to me? How can you make love to my sworn enemy?"

"She's... she's changed."

"You came to her, looking for a chance to make her pay, to punish her for what she did to me and to others. But she seduced you. You let yourself be bought by those crisp dollar bills that she slips into your pockets." Roxanne spoke venomously "isn't that true?"

"It is... it is not as you say."

"No? What is it, then?"

"I...I love her. She's changed."

"Changed." Roxanne snorted. "her sort never changes. Does she love you the way I loved you?"

"Not the same way." Sebastian admitted.

"She doesn't love you at all. She only uses you."

"No! We love each other."

"She doesn't care about you."

Sebastian shook his head.

* * *

"It is the same as it was with Roxanne in Parallel Time." Barnabas said more to himself than to Julia There was no point in saying it again. They both knew it. But still he had to say it.

"Somebody drained off his life force. Nichols, most probably. He could replenish his powers that way. Ata least, now he's stable. Nicholas won't let him die. He needs him."

"He won't let hum get well, either. And I want him to get well."

"Maybe we should let him rests, stabilize his condition more."

"He's as stable as Nicholas will ever let him be." Barnabas snorted. "You know what I want done."

"Same as we did with Adam?"

"I don't see why not. I still got plenty of life force to spare."

"Nicholas would drain you."

"Just let him try."

Julia threw up her arms. "All right. It is probably stupid and I'll regret it. But I will do it."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Julia could not suppress her misgivings looking at the equipment ready for the transfer. The memories were too strong. Adam. Eric Lang, to whom she felt a fondness, though she found quite a lot of him objectionable... Some of these memories were painful, things that she wished she could forget...

Specially the problems with Adam, as they stretched over the years. Problems not yet resolved...

Still, as Barnabas had said, it was the only chance that Urien had. And there could be the side effect to removing, even temporarily, Barnabas' curse.

Barnabas laid Urien down carefully "He's so young." he said "and he's been through so much. I wanted to make a difference for him. And given half the chance, I will."

He laid himself down, next to the boy. "He will be all right." he insisted.

The equipment was set in place. They were both wired properly and the Julia threw the switch. As she had done years ago to bring Adam a life that he resented.

Barnabas felt the shock and then the draining. He felt weak, pleasantly so. He knew that his heartbeat was steadying, moving towards normalcy.

...Normalcy. He barely remembered how it felt... he wondered what it would be like to be normal again..

Urien moaned and began shaking his head.

"Yes, kid. You'll be all right, now." Barnabas took Urien's hand, which hung by its side and squeezed it.

"We'll make it, both of us."

* * *

George paced outside. He wondered why he should be upset. All that would happen was that Urien would get well, and that Barnabas would have his curse removed. Why did he see it as a threat?

Because he knew that once Barnabas had his curse removed, women might find him a more attractive prospect., and Barnabas might be tempted to return to heterosexuality...

And them, what if Urien ended up bonded with Barnabas, as Adam had been? What if what one of them underwent, the other did to?

He was hopeful for Urien, but also afraid.

* * *

Urien moved his head and opened his eyes.

"Hello, Urien."

Urien turned his head towards Barnabas, following his voice.

"Quentin did not kill me after all."

There seemed to be a flicker of recognition in Urien's face as he tried to get up.

"No, stay there." Barnabas said, soothingly "it takes time for this to work."

Urien opened his mouth and made noises. He could not form words yet.

"I knew that it wasn't you." Barnabas continued " I was worried that something had happened to you. But you'll be all right now. Just relax and wait until you feel strong again"

Julia studied both of them. The transfer seemed to be going well. But still there seemed to be something draining Urien.

"He can't fight it." she told Barnabas "not yet."

"Maybe with my help." Barnabas squeezed Urien's hand. He could feel it too, the draining Somewhere Nicholas, or whoever it was, was using the energy to replenish his powers and unless stopped could easily drain both of them.

"You have to pull, Barnabas. Through him."

Urien looked inquiringly at Barnabas.

"Just hold on to me and hang on." Barnabas told him "I'll do the rest."

* * *

The strength was pouring into him. As it had been at first. Nichols got up and flexed his muscles.

The power was flowing into him, stronger than he had felt in a long time. It almost made him glow. It was a feeling that there was nothing that the could not do. Nothing at all.

* * *

Yolanda walked out of Collinwood, the mask over her face. She knew that a spell put over it would make the mask invisible to any but Angelique, who would then recognize her executioner. Instead it looked like a human face, Roxanne Drew's face.

She had not convinced Sebastian last time. But this time she would.

Sebastian was waiting for her, not sure if it was indeed Roxanne that he had seen, the vampire whom he had once loved.

"Roxanne" he said with awe. "It is indeed you. I did not dream it then?"

"I am no dream, dear Sebastian. I am no ghost, either. It is me, Roxanne. And everything will be the way it was.

Sebastian pressed close to her. "Roxie, I missed you."

He threw his head back, eyes closed. Yolanda was for a few seconds taken aback, the she remembered what Roxanne had been. Using the power of the mask she made the wounds appear by themselves, as if caused by the fangs that she did not have.

"Roxanne." Sebastian said "You re indeed my Roxanne. I did not believe it the last time . I did not really believe that it was you, that I could have you back."

"but you wanted me. More than you ever wanted Angelique."

Sebastian made a face. "It is not the same with herm."

"I still want revenge on the witch She's vulnerable to two things. Cold iron and fire. Help me Sebastian"

"I can't Roxie. Not even for you."

"Why not?"

* * *

Barnabas held Urien tight. he knew that he was inflicting some pain on him, but he also knew that he had to hold on. Fight this battle for the boy's life.

He saw Julia reverse the flow, felt the pull inside him, the strength pouring into him.

* * *

It could not be. The power was draining again. Nicholas felt it and tried to draw it out again.

But it kept draining away from him.

He gathered his strength and pulled, unwilling to let the power go.

* * *

"I can feel it flowing into me." Barnabas said, then looked at Urien. "how's he doing?"

"He's bearing it well."

* * *

Nicholas pulled. He was not going to lose his power again. He wondered how Urien had found the strength to resist him.

Maybe Urien was not alone. maybe someone else was using Urien to drain him, Nicholas, of his life force...

...someone like Yolanda

And he had almost fallen into her trap.

Quickly he began to disengage himself from Urien's life force. Let him keep it. He'd at least get out town with his life.

* * *

"It is giving." Barnabas said.

"Yes, it does." Julia agreed while Urien stared at both of them, comprehension slowly coming to him.

He was aware of the struggle going on. He could not define it. He could not understand it fully, but he knew that Barnabas was fighting for him. Weakly, he smiled at Barnabas and Julia.

Barnabas strained, helped by Julia's equipment. He was aware of the flow. He knew that there had been a moment when his body had returned to normality, and that it had passed. He did not regret it. He had got Urien aback.

Then he felt it. A snap and the tension was gone abruptly. and Urien began to falter.

"Julia! Reverse the flow!" he shouted "Nicholas let him go!"

* * *

Megan and Angelique embraced tightly, naked body against naked body.

"It is good to be together again, after a while" Megan said, running her hand across Angelique's back.

"Yes. It is good."

"Do you worry about Sebastian?"

"What he does not know does not hurt him... I know, I should feel guilty about him. But I don't He's like a child. And I need some adult company.

Then she closed her eyes and threw her head back, baring her throat for Megan's fangs.

* * *

"Use your powers, Sebastian." Yolanda urged him. "Look at her. See her for what she is."

Prodded by her, Sebastian sought to visualize Angelique. And saw her in Megan's arms. Heard her call him a child. Heard her sound of satisfaction as Megan's fangs pierced her vein.

"You see what she is really like, Sebastian."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Angelique was again in the bedroom when he came back She had returned, and looked so innocent as she tied to sleep

Sebastian scowled at her.

"You are quite late" she said, as he woke her.

"I was out looking for U.F.O.s for Davenport."

"Seen any?"

"No." He began undressing.

"Well, you'll see one sooner or later."

"Yes. Probably I will."

He had the small vial in his hand. Roxanne had give it to him, telling him how to use it.

He laid himself next to her and deliberately put his arms around her shoulders.

Angelique smiled. "You want?"

"Yes. I do." He held her closer. With one hand he held her head, with the other he uncapped the vial.

The odor reached her. She did not recognize it at first. Then the fumes began to act and she was held in Sebastian's grip. Still she fought, kicking, scratching and biting. Not for long.

"Get up and get dressed" he ordered her.

Angelique pleaded to him with her eyes, but had to obey.

"Why?" She managed to say.

"You are going to see Roxanne again."

* * *

Barnabas pushed the hot tea into Urien's hand. It was his theory that Urien was in need of all the stimulants and food, and everything else that he could get hold of. Julia had told him to go easy on that, but this was not the first time that he and Julia disagreed.

"So the man had hooks for his hands?"

"Yes. No hands. He said that he had been expecting me. Then he moved his arms and I got sleepy... and that's the last I remember. Damn it, the way he smiled... I've seen creeps smile, but this one was worse.

Barnabas put his hand protectively on Urien's shoulder. "He won't do anything to you again. I will make sure of it."

* * *

Sebastian led Angelique down into the caves. To the same caves where Roxanne had once held Angelique a couple of years ago.

Could it be true that Roxanne had returned? And how could that be? Roxanne was dead, cremated, beyond any hope of revival..

Still, the way Sebastian spoke of her.

"Well, the traitor is here" A deep voice resonated on the walls.

"Judah!"

Yolanda stepped out into her range of vision, the mask of Baal on her face.

"So you recognize me, Miranda. But then I did not expect you to forget me. No, I am not easy to forget, Miranda."

The paralysis kept Angelique immobile, unable to scream again.

"The drug will wear out soon." Yolanda told Sebastian "better put her in the cell."

There was indeed a cell built in the middle of the cave. Sebastian pushed Angelique inside and locked the door.

It was iron. Cold iron. She was powerless against it.

"Yes. You will not escape, Miranda." Yolanda said to her "Cold iron is a good protection against witches, and renouncing your Master does not change this fact." She turned to Sebastian "Go" she said "leave me alone with her."

Sebastian obeyed an Yolanda took off her mask.

"Well, Angelique, Cassandra, Miranda, or whatever your name is, we are going to talk."

Angelique stared. It made no sense. Miss Oates, Edmund's governess.

"One can learn quite a bit from this mask. Curious, isn't it? When I came here I knew that you were an adventuress, very probably a bigamist. The rest I found out this way." she caressed the mask. I found out how many powers I can have, and what I can achieve what I want. No, and I not Judah, and I am not of his cover. I don't care about him." she grinned triumphantly "Shall I tell you want I want from you?"

"What do you want?"

"My real name is Yolanda Overton, Daughter of Ralph Overton and Virginia Rumsen."

"You, _you _are Schuyller Rumsen's niece?" She had met Yolanda years ago, when she was only an ungainly teenager with braces.

"Yes. Mother was Uncle Schuyller's heir. We would have gotten the money if it had not been for you."

"Your uncle would have married sooner or later. If not to me, to someone else."

"You made him cut us out of his will!"

"You were provided with a trust fund."

"A mere pittance." Yolanda snorted "You got the bulk of it. And you had no right to it. You were never legally married to him. Your marriage took place before your divorce from Roger Collins became final. You were only his concubine and have no right to his money. I want it. And I want more. I want your powers, and the power of this mask, too."

* * *

"We know for sure that Nicholas was involved." Barnabas told George "What he said about the hooks..."

"Yes. It sounds like Nicholas. Only what was he doing here? And why did he send Urien to kill Miss Oates?"

"That puzzles me too. I questioned her and she can't explain it. And she's telling the truth." George had not proven immune to the mask's power. He was seeing now only what Yolanda wanted him to see and was unaware of it. "It might have something to do with Quentin. You remember that they remodeled Collinwood when Carolyn went on her cruise? That was after Nicholas left. he might have become confused as to who was sleeping where and sent Urien to the wrong room. Now the question is how to get Quentin to crack."

"I don't think that Urien can help you much. He was not conscious of anything."

"Still, I'd like to try. We have to find Nicholas. I don't like him springing surprises on me."

* * *

Yolanda stepped in front of Angelique, the mask in her hand.

"Yolanda, don't" Angelique warned her.

"Why not?" she mocked her prisoner.

"Don't put on the mask. It will take over you."

"You are afraid, aren't you?"

"I will let you have the money. I will confess to bigamy. Just don't play games with that mask. You have no idea of its power."

"I always wondered what it would be like to have you scared." She moved closer to Angelique "You are worried what this thing will do to you?"

"You don't know what kind of thing that is. It is dangerous, Yolanda. It can destroy you."

"I know what this can do for me. Do you think that I will be content with the money when I can have so much more? I want what you have , Angelique. All of it. And more. And this is how I'll get it."

"It will destroy you! You have no idea. It is too powerful. It could burn you to a crisp!"

"I don't scare easily, Miranda. But then you know what _he_ wants done with you."

* * *

"Vicky" Barnabas said to her the next night as he led her into the Old House. "I am flattered that you want to move in with me, but I feel that I should warn you. About my... private life."

He certainly sounded embarrassed enough. He wondered why it should be so. She certainly knew the worst about him.

"Is it your new girlfriend?" she ventured to say.

"Well,... not a girlfriend."

"More than a girlfriend? Are you getting serious?"

"Yes. I am serous about him."

"Him!" Vicky stared. "You mean that it is a man?"

"Yes. I tell you so that it doesn't take you by surprise."

Vicky's jaw dropped considerably. "You...you and a man. I can't believe it."

Barnabas nodded apologetically.

"Do I know him?"

"Yes. You do." he gulped "George Brant."

Vicky's jaw dropped even more. "Him? Impossible" then she laughed "just when I thought I had you figured out."

Then she sobered up." But I should not say anything. Really. I owe you too much to have the right to judge you. I have a roof over my head, which is more than I had a few days ago."

"Vicky., I don't want you to think that you owe it to me to be... tolerant"

"Barnabas. I have taken an emotional beating. I am beginning to put myself together, but still I am very tired. I say things that I don't truly mean. I don't want to offend you."

Barnabas hugged her. "No harm meant. I know how it feels."

Vicky accepted the hot soup that he offered her, then she felt able to talk about Phillip.

"What happened? I thought that he was making good money."

"We did, at first. We managed to get regular bookings. Then there were less of them. Then they dried up. And we had expenses. We still had to eat. And the money kept going out..." she sobbed once, but then continued. "It tried to help. I had no teacher certificate so all I could get was some tutoring jobs. And waitress jobs...And then I got pregnant. We knew that we would be needing more money than we had. Then one day Phillip went out and never came back. I tried to tell him that we could always come back to Collinsport, that we could at worst keep house for you, but he was too ashamed to show up here as a failure. He felt that he had failed everybody. You, me, the baby... he had begun to drink, too.

Barnabas heard the recitation, all the sad details. Why had Phillip been so proud? Why had he not called for help?"

"He kept believing that things would turn around. That we had to keep at it. Then, suddenly, he did not seem to care. I tried to reach him...I couldn't..."

Barnabas smoothed her hair. "My poor Vicky. You did not have to be so proud with me."

She shivered. "You think that Phillip might show up again? I think that he is not dead."

"He might well be alive. Don't give up hope. In the meantime, you can stay with me. You will not raise your child alone."

In spite of her situation, Vicky smiled. "You plan to raise the child with me?"

"Why not?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Angelique felt tired. Touching the iron bars of her cage was painful to her. She had been pleading with Yolanda first, and then with Sebastian. It had been no use. They would not let her go.

Judah would not let her go.

Now she was alone. Alone except for the mask that stood propped up on the walls of the cave. Too far for her to try to reach it.

"You can't escape, Miranda." the mask said.

She shivered. It was Judah's voice. She could never forget it.

"You have not forgotten me. Any more than I have forgotten you." the mask, without changing its features now held a malevolent expression "You were once a promising disciple. But then you failed me. Yolanda will be a good disciple. Better even than you."

* * *

The man dressed again while George still lay on the bed.

It had been a stupid thing, he had done, He was jealous of Vicky moving under Barnabas' roof, so what did he do? Take to bed the first good looking stranger he saw...

As if that was ever to fix anything.

Face it, Vicky, alone and pregnant, would arouse all of Barnabas' protective instincts. Vicky might want to secure his protection further, and even unwittingly seduce him.

He knew when he started that Barnabas was attracted to women, more than men. And fate kept throwing these women in his path..

So what was he going to do about it? Should come up with a more intelligent plan than going to bed with complete strangers out of town...

* * *

Sandy closed her eyes, following Julia's voice.

"You understand what we are trying to do?"

Sandy nodded. Julia felt encouraged by her progress. She seemed to have gotten over her fixation with Barnabas. Compared to that, getting rid of her inner wolf would be a cinch.

* * *

Liz was dying. It was now a matter of hours... minutes. Around her were Adam, Carolyn, Roger, and Barnabas. They sat, knowing how little time remained. All they could do was try to make her comfortable and wait for the inevitable.

Roger shook his head. His sister, the only close friend he had for many years. He was going to lose her. All his childhood memories came to him. His youth, his disastrous firsts marriage (not that the second was much better), David, his growing old without growing wise. And Liz always there. The one person that he could count on.

And now it was over.

Barnabas had called in David. He said that he was coming, but he would very likely get there only in time to bury Liz. Barnabas shook his head. Should have told David sooner... He looked at Adam, then back at Liz, He remembered how it was the first time that he had seen her. She had taken Naomi's place and he had resented her for that.. He had resented all of them. But Liz had been special. All his feelings for his own mother were involved in it.

He had lost Naomi. He had been the cause of her death... And now Liz was dying.

Liz had had so little time. She had married early and disastrously. It had produced one daughter, Carolyn, and her self-imposed imprisonment, guarding from discovery what he thought was the grave of her husband. Jason McGuire, without meaning to, had set her free. And he had died from it...

Liz was free now. But she wasn't young anymore. She had lost too much time and she knew it. There were things that a woman her age didn't do. Carolyn was her comfort. And also a trial. Her upbringing had made Carolyn very dependent on her mother and resentful of any attempt of Liz's to lead a life of her own.

It was not losing Adam that had soured Carolyn, but losing Liz.

She had not wanted to forgive Liz. Now she had done it, almost too late. At last she had been stronger than herself, and had regained her mother.

Liz turned to face him "Barnabas" she asked weakly.

Barnabas held her hand. "I am here, Liz."

"Your hand feels cold." Liz said "but then, it always does... Barnabas, I resented you because you had come from England, because you had traveled while I had to remain here. I did not know that you were more of a prisoner than I ever was. Anyway, I have seen the world. I saw London, Paris, Rome... Adam... I knew that you truly did not love me. It does not matter, really. Don't feel bad about it." she spoke this to Adam "you gave me other things. You took me on a tour around the world, you showed me all that I always wanted to see. Dear Adam, don't be hard on yourself." Carolyn," she turned to her daughter "You were a good daughter. You were what made Collinwood bearable. Roger" she smiled wearily at him "You were always a big headache and I love you for it. You were never dull. It was always good to have you around."

Roger nodded "You always were a good sister to me."

"Thank you." Liz said weakly "And now... I don't think I have the strength to say more."

They held her hands. It was happening now. It was not the time to protest. Only acceptance remained.

Liz's breath became shallower, more labored. The end was coming.

They kept holding her hands, as the breathing became weaker and weaker.

Then it stopped.

"She is dead." Barnabas said in a whisper. "It is over."

Reluctantly he got up. They all did. For a while no one dared speak. Then Carolyn broke the silence.

"Is this it?" she asked "Is it this easy?"

"It is not." Barnabas held her in his arms. "But it does seem so."

"It isn't right. It shouldn't be like this!"

"I know, Carolyn, I know. I wish that I could make things different."

She wept, clinging to him. "I barely had time to talk to her. I almost never got around to telling her that I loved her. I said all those hateful things to her..."

"She knew that she did not meant them."

"But I did mean them!"

"Carolyn" He wiped her tears "I have said and done many hateful things. I meant them. When I abused Willie I meant it. I meant every blow to hurt. And still, that was not me. It was me, yet it wasn't... I don't know now to explain it. I know that Willie will not let me torment myself over it. Do you think that Liz, who loved you, would let you torment yourself?"

"Barnabas, you don't understand."

"I do. Sadly I do. Don't argue Carolyn. Just cry."

Carolyn wept on her cousin's shoulder.

"There, there. It hurts, doesn't it? It hurts terribly. It always does, and there is no way to stop it from hurting. But it won't hurt like this forever."

Roger moved towards them and Barnabas let him hold Carolyn. They needed each other now, more than ever.

Adam stood still by Liz's side, touching her face lightly with his fingers. Absentmindedly, Barnabas noticed the paint stains in his cuffs. Some of it was fresh He had painted early today, as Liz was dying.

"She loved to see me paint." he spoke in answer to Barnabas' unasked question. "I would bring my easel here and work. It gave her a feeling of peace to see me take all those paint, spread them on the canvas, and turn them into something that had form and beauty... No, I did not love her. Your guess as to why I married her was right. I wanted to hurt you and I did. I made Carolyn hate you." his voice was level. "but I would not hurt Liz I was fond of her and I think that I gave her what she wanted. Romance, excitement, travel. I still hate you. I will probably hate you for as long as I live. But I could not hate her..."

"I am glad then." Barnabas said " that she did not have to pay for what was my fault. And I am glad that in spite of your hatred you care enough to set my mind at rest on it."

Adam shrugged as the only answer.

"I know that I was never a good father to you."

"You, my father? " Adams aid angrily "No, you are not. You don't deserve the name. I know who my real father is, and it is neither you nor Lang."

"Who was he?"

"The one who removed my dependency on you. And his name is none of your business."

* * *

"It is not like Angelique to leave town like this." Megan said "Without telling me where she's gone and why.

"Sebastian says that that's' what she did." Joe said.

"Joe, I don't like it. She was missing once, and that was Tom Jennings's doing."

"But Sebastian..." Joe insisted, then realized what it meant. "You think that he might be in it.?"

"Considering his part in her earlier disappearance, he might. It will pay to trail him."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Angelique slumped on the floor. It seemed so hopeless..

But it was not. She would be missed. They would look for her... she could still try to sway Sebastian..

He came to her with food "You have to eat." he told her. "You don't want to starve to death."

No... not starving. Judah had other plans for her..

"Sebastian, please, let me go."

"You owe Roxanne something., Now eat."

She threw the plate away.

"All right! Starve then!" he turned around and left the cave, leaving her alone again.

The mask laughed. She hated it and could not stop it. Judah would have no pity on her. Nor would Yolanda. Judah would make her his chief priestess. and Judah would be like a god. He could not return in the flesh, but could become a guiding spirit.

One to which blood sacrifices were offered. Her sacrifice...

"Yu understand what is to be done with you?" the mask taunted her "It will happen. You cannot escape it."

She waited thus, until she heard the sounds of steps approaching. They were not Sebastian's. Nor Yolanda's... she knew those footsteps.

Joe!" she shouted "It is me! I am here!"

Joe ran towards her, as if confused.

...She was there, indeed. The witch, the liar... next to her was Tom Jennings, fangs bared. And at her other side was Chris Jennings, howling...

And she was laughing at him. "Did you see what I did to Sam Evans?" she taunted him. "He will never paint again. He'd be blind for the rest of his life..." and she laughed again.

"Joe! Break the lock! Let me out!"

He studied her coolly, then anger rose in him.

"Liar!" he shouted at her. "Witch! Have you not done enough evil here? You are getting what you deserve. For me. For Tom, for Sam... Stay there and rot!"

"Joe, please, come to your senses... Don't let him do this to you! Resist it!"

Zachary laughed, slowly and deliberately "What has he to thank you for that he should help you?"

The laughter went on and on. It made her ears ring, that laugher. She was burning, and gasping for air...

Then the laugher ended, and Joe was gone.

* * *

Nicholas got up with a groan. He was alive... he had survived the draining.

But at what price? He was helpless now. His powers were gone with Urien's life force.

Fearfully he lifted his arms, expecting to see bare stumps. But no, his hands were still there.

At least he had kept his hands!"

For a moment he felt defiant again. Yolanda had not succeeded in killing him! And he still had his hands! There was some power left in him!

Some power...only a bit. Yolanda had all of it. He forced himself to face the situation realistically. He was helpless. He had almost no power left. Possibly by now Angelique knew that he was here. Yolanda' sparing her might have been deliberate, a way of showing contempt. Or of torturing him, like a cat with a mouse. Maybe she had other plans for him...

He was not safe in Collinsport. He was not safe in Maine. He had to get away.

His mouth curled in disgust when he remembered what was out there. Florida swampland and other scams. Cheap hotels. Maybe the bottle, for Angelique had chosen well when she had given him the shadow and the means to control it. A cure worse than the sickness.

He shuddered. In the past he had sustained himself with the hope of regaining his powers. But what if he could not? Once he had regained them, at Vicky's command, to serve the Leviathan. He had been a flunky to them, not allowed to be more than that. And in the end it had cost him his hands.

What if he never got his power back?

* * *

Quentin had followed Yolanda at a distance, unaware that he himself was being followed by Roger. He was going to find out where she kept that mask and get it for himself. He would show her that he was not someone to be used and discarded as he had been.

With the mask he would have his freedom. And more. He _had_ to have it.

He saw her go down the rocks, as she did other times. Very likely, that was where she kept it.

He waited outside. He would not enter until she left. He did not want her to use the mask against him again. He could wait.

It took long, but Yolanda came out again. She did not seem to have the mask with her. She somehow seemed to glow. He sensed that this was the protection that the mask conferred upon her. He decided not to try to test it.

He slipped into the cave. He could follow her footsteps in the dirt that covered the ground. It made it easier for him to find the way.

Then he heard. Sounds like weeping. For a moment he froze. They sounded almost human...

It probably was the wind... the wind played those tricks...

He followed the footsteps and the he heard it again... and this time there seemed to be words. Seemed like a voice, a human voice...

The gooseflesh formed in him. The mask had power, real power. It could turn against him.

But he had handled Laura and survived. Handled Petofi and survived. The mask was not Judah, just an artifact, to be used and re-used by different owners.

He followed the sounds, which came from the same place the footsteps did.

Then he turned the corner and saw Angelique in a cage.

"Angelique!"

She lifted her head "Quentin! Help me! Let me out of here!"

He ran to her. "What happened to you?"

But before he was half-way Carl was in front of him. "Going anywhere, Quentin?"

Quentin stopped "Carl, please..."

"Help her and you'll be sorry." Carl laughed "what will it be, Quentin? Will you help her and put yourself in danger? Or will you leave her to her fate and reach for the mask? It is there, waiting for you."

Quentin looked to his side. Indeed, the mask was there. Shiny with gold and jewels. And power... Shiny with power.

"What did she ever do for you?" Carl insisted "why should you risk anything for her?"

Quentin moved to the mask.

"Quentin, no!" she shouted "It will destroy you.! Judah is still in there!"

Quentin took the mask in his hands, put it on his face and turned to Angelique, laughing. Judah's laugher "He's mine now, Miranda. He is weak. Has always been weak. And I shall use him."

* * *

Quentin had left and she was alone again, hugging herself. Two people had come here. They might have rescued her, but instead chose to give themselves to Judah's power.

At least Joe had an excuse. He had seen her as she had been, when he had brought misfortune to him and those he cared for. He was back experiencing those episodes that had ended in his being sent to Wyncliffe.. Was it so strange that when offered revenge he took it?

Maybe she deserved that...

"You see, Miranda, how helpless you are?" the mask taunted her "Nothing will keep your fate from you... But wait. Here comes another who might rescue you. Let's see who it is.

She listened tot the footsteps until Roger came into view.

"Roger!" she pleaded.

Roger stared at her. She saw how his face changed for astonishment to hatred.

"Cassandra!" he said "It is you. You are getting what's coming to you!"

He stepped back, still watching her.

"You seem to have made quit a few enemies."

* * *

Sebastian's OK ." Joe told Megan "If there is anything going on, he is not in it."

"He has to be. He acts too unconcerned to be innocent."

"I followed him all day, and all he did was check for U.F.O.s"

"Maybe. Maybe he knew that he was being tailed and tried to look innocent. Just keep at it an make sure he does not see you."

* * *

"Angelique still not back?" Barnabas asked,. concerned. He wanted to consult with her about the missing Phillip, only to find now that she was missing too.

"I am concerned. I think that something might have happened to her." Megan answered "I am having Joe tail Sebastian, in case he knows more than he tells."

"There are other possibilities. Nicholas was here. He was in a fire, and he barely escaped. We do not know how the fire started, or who started it.""

"You _are_ right. There might be more than one person involved there. And that other person may be a danger to her."

"Urien only saw Nicholas, But then Nicholas made him fall into a coma. He may have heard or seen thing without being aware of it."

"You think you can get to those memories, then?" Megan was too worried about Angelique to realize how she was including Barnabas in her plans, even treating him like one of his own operatives... This was not the same bumbling, incompetent Barnabas that she had to make sure he did not interfere with her operations.

"I will try, and I'll tell you what I found out.

* * *

"It won't hurt?" Urien asked as Barnabas made him lie down.

Barnabas caressed his forehead "No, it won't hurt. "He promised the boy. "Won't you trust me? I only want to help you, you know that."

"You do." Urien admitted "Yet, it scares me."

"It is scary. It was scary for you. "But there is noting to worry about. We want to know all you seen and heard so that we can keep Nicholas from ever coming back."

He felt misgivings. He was not lying to Urien, but was not telling him the truth either. Not the whole truth.

But enough of it. They had to keep Nichols away, for everyone's sake, not just Urien's. Urien was just the latest victim, and the one most in need of protection...

Megan was right. They had to find out what Nicholas was up to. Make sure that he could not threaten them again.

Urien stared into Barnabas' eyes. Urien's were soft eyes. A bit scared, but trusting. Barnabas gulped, then put Urien under and began probing into his mind.

Nicholas. Nicholas getting his hands back. The cottage. Waiting for someone. The image from the mini-stage. And someone running towards the cottage with a golden mask.

Yolanda Oates.

And it was the mask of Baal that she carried. The mask where the power of Judah Zachary was stored.

They had stopped Zachary in 1840... But that had been a Parallel Time. In here, Zachary was still undefeated, still able to attempt to come back.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Megan listened to what Barnabas had to say.

"You think that Zachary is behind Angelique's disappearance?"

"He is probably seeking revenge on her. She betrayed him once. That is one thing that is the same in this reality and the Parallel Time we visited via the time staircase."

Megan lit a cigarette and puffed at it. Barnabas frowned, but said nothing. Megan was worried and tense enough.

"Judah Zachary" she said, her eyes narrowing "That means big trouble."

"Depends of whether or not the head came back. As long as it is only the headless body and the mask, we may have a chance."

"Sebastian is probably under his power. Actually, anyone can be under his power. Joe who is tailing him, for sure. And George too. Better not tell him anything."

"I could try to find out from George..."

"No, if he's been taken over, Zachary will figure out that you know about him the moment you start probing into his mind. Just play it dumb with him."

"You are right. I guess we have to depend on each other now. Our...condition may provide us with some protection."

"Some... how much I cannot tell, but some... You said Miss Oates is involved?"

"Yes."

"Good, you tail her, I tail Sebastian."

"How about during the day?"

"From what I gather, covens meet at night."

* * *

Sebastian looked at her with misgivings. Did he have to do this? Even for Roxanne?

On the other hand...

"Let me go, Sebastian." she pleaded again.

Sebastian looked away. He could not let her go. But it was hard, when she looked at him with hurt eyes. Why the accusation? Why the sense of betrayal?

He owed it to Roxanne..."

"She is not Roxanne!" Angelique was screaming "She's Yolanda Oates, and she's got you in her power!"

Sebastian turned his back to her and Angelique knew that she had gone too far.

"You should know about that." he grumbled. "you of all people. You used m and you thought that I would not know that you and Megan.. you and Megan..." he became angry " and you called me a child, and mocked me when you were... with her."

Angelique tried again. "Sebastian, what Megan and I do means nothing..."

"No! It is I who mean nothing to you! I was only your pet! Less than that!"

"Sebastian..."

"Roxanne came back for me. And this time she will not leave me."

* * *

Sandy was surprised to see the flowers waiting for her at home. Who cold have sent them?

She picked up the card. "Get well quick. I can't afford to loses you now. And I am found of you. X. Davenport."

"Davenport?" she wondered aloud. Had he sent her flowers?"

She looked at the flowers again. They were lovely, in fact. And it was such a thoughtful gesture, now that she was feeling so low, thinking of what might have happened...

And then...

She remembered those first days when she had accepted at last hat she had become a werewolf. Everybody whispered behind her back. Xavier had not. He had been matter of fact in his acceptance... Yes, Barnabas had accepted her, but it was different...

Just imagine, that old fool sending flowers o to her!

But Davenport wasn't that old. He was not a fool. And he was good looking.

And he wasn't Barnabas.

And did she really want Barnabas?

* * *

Vicky sat by the window, knitting. she would have this coat done soon, then she would start on the booties and...

It was strange, to have nothing t do, noting to worry about, except knit for her child. Barnabas had insisted on it, saying that she needed to rebuild her strength. He had said that he'd take care of revalidating her teacher's certificate so that she could go back to work. But that would be later. He had also spoken of her doing piecework for Sandy Miller. Or give private lessons. In fact, he insisted on her teaching Urien once the hospital got around to discharging him, and make it possible for him to take the equivalence test.

She wondered what it would be like. A street kid... a runaway. It scared her, somehow. But Barnabas said that Urien was bright an eager to learn..

She knew that Barnabas was lying in his coffin in the room behind the library. She shivered. That room was _so_ cold. And to think that Barnabas did not even have a blanket. He had insisted that he did not need it, but she still worried about it. Couldn't she do something for him? Knit him a blanket? He had done so much for her...

* * *

Megan and Barnabas sat together. "If we part from the basis that Judah's mask is out there, and is responsible for Angelique's disappearance, then Sebastian is taken over, because if he wasn't he'd be screaming at us to go look for her. Joe is too, because after tailing him, he insists that Sebastian does noting out of the ordinary. Miss Oates is in it, because Urien saw her bringing the mask to Nicholas. For some reason she did not deliver it... Maybe the mask did not like him fro some reason, and stayed with her... Those three we know for sure. The rest are suspect."

"Yes." Barnabas reluctantly agreed. "And if Miss Oates has the mask, then everyone on Collinwood must be affected. Carolyn, Roger, Quentin, Edmund, the servants..."

"Anybody can be taken over... Even ourselves. It might take longer but we can be taken over."

"Maybe we can hypnotize each other into resisting."

"That might work. Then we have to think that those helpers will fight us. We have to be willing to fight them too." she pulled out her gun.

"You plan to use it?" Barnabas asked with dismay.

"yes. And you better get one too. This is not the time for anti-gun diatribes. But we will load them with rubber bullets. They hurt, and then can stop people. But they recover. Just take them out so that they do not interfere."

"Should we bring in Derek?"

"No. He can be taken over. Nicholas took him over once. And Judah is probably more powerful than Nicholas. No, this time it is just us two, no one else."

* * *

Sebastian pressed the knife against his palm. Roxanne wanted him to do this. Roxanne...

Then she would come back to him, and things would be as they were. When the witch died, Roxanne would be reborn.

Then that memory of her decapitated body, blood still pouring out, would have been only a bad dream. The blood world be Angelique's and she would be the bad memory, the nightmare.

Yet, in a way, he had been fond of Angelique... in a way..- his hand closed on the handle... Angelique and Megan.. Why hadn't he seen it sooner?'

After Angelique, it would be Megan's turn, he promised himself. After all, it had been Megan who had sent Tammy to do that to Roxanne. Surely Roxanne would want Tammy punished, too..

But Tammy was mad now. Surely that was punishment enough.

But Barnabas would be made to pay...

* * *

Carolyn wiped her eyes. her mother's death, the funeral, and now looking at those old photos.

She had come close to burning them once. She had not, but she had hid them at the bottom of a drawer, determined never to look at the again.

She could still feel her old anger, compelling her to get rid of them. Yet she had not. Maybe that counted for something..

* * *

Barnabas watched how Urien slept.

He would soon be discharged, he knew. And then life would get back to... to whatever normal meant at the Old House.

George was with him. It was late. Yolanda had gone to sleep, so he had felt free to come. And George, who had a late shift, had dropped in. He felt guilty hiding the truth form him, but as Megan had said, they could take no chances.

"You still want a child of your own?" George asked.

"Yes. Why not? I gave him life, in a way. I am the first adult he's ever trusted in a long time. The first one that did not rip him off nor abuse him. And this is one child that no one will try to steal. And he's your child too.

George laughed. "If only our first meeting had not been so disastrous.

Barnabas laughed too. "Well, you did right by him in the end. And don't go pulling a guilt trip. It is bad enough when I do."

"You know, if you try to adopt him, Zeb may make trouble for you."

"We will handle him... You know a year ago we had to handle Zeb. And now again. It is kind of ironic that the other kind of trouble was solved so easily, while this one is going on and on..."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Barnabas flew over Collinwood, watching Yolanda. He wondered how long it would take, and if this would truly lead them to Angelique and the mask.

He kept watch, ignoring his hunger pangs. That, he'd attend to later, when she went to sleep. But he hoped that she went to sleep earlier. It made him cranky to have to wait... He was too accustomed to doing it as soon as he woke up.

It was only one hour later that Yolanda got up from her chair, and instead of retiring, changed into a robe. A ceremonial robe... Barnabas' heart jumped. This had to be it.

Yolanda put on jeans, tucking the robe inside them, then put a bulky jacket on top. Looking around to make sure that no one watched, she opened the window and climbed down the ivy.

Flattening himself against the wall, Barnabas saw her get to the ground. He changed to mist to follow her. She might be suspicious of bats...

Yolanda went down towards the caves. Joe was approaching, too. So were Roger, Quentin, and Sebastian.

He sensed Megan's presence behind Sebastian.

Yolanda took off her jacket and jeans and stood in her ceremonial robe.

The three men stood together, their right arms bared and extended towards her. She took a small knife and made small cuts in each of their arms, mingling their blood together.

A momentary pang of hunger ran through him, as he knew was running through Megan. But he significance lf the act was too strong to escape him. He experienced revulsion because he knew what they were doing. They were giving themselves in bondage to her and Zachary.

He hoped that the bondage would be broken when the mask was destroyed, as the blood sizzled on their wrists, leaving a brand behind.

They parted, their eyes having acquired a strange gleam. Like the Urien had before he awoke him.

And Yolanda... she was smiling slightly, as if enjoying her power.

He would hurt her. No one did that to Joe, to Roger, even Quentin and Sebastian if he could do something about it.

They joined their hands up in the air, like ancient warriors, reciting an oath and shouted three times words that Barnabas could not understand. An ancient language, very ancient...

They went into the caves. There were plenty of bats hibernating in there, so Barnabas felt that it was safe to become a bat again. Megan did the same. They followed Yolanda and the three men, creeping up the crevices of the rocks.

It was the whimpering that told them that Angelique was there.

They saw her hanging from a chain by her wrists. Then they saw the gleams of gold.

The mask. It was there.

Yolanda held the mask in her hand, then extended it. Sebastian put a knife in her other hand. She walked towards Angelique, the blade held high.

She began to put the mask on her face.

That was enough for Barnabas. He dived towards Yolanda, changing shape just before he tore the mask from her hand.

The men looked stunned as he stood at the other end of the cave, the mask pressed against his chest.

"Give it back to me!" Yolanda shouted, her face contorted with rage. "It is not yours!"

Joe, Roger and Quentin moved towards Angelique and surrounded her.

That was enough for Megan. She took out her gun and shot all three. They fell down, stunned by the rubber bullets, and Megan stood next to Angelique, shielding her with her body.

Yolanda moved towards Barnabas "Give it to me. What is she to you that you care for her? Remember all the harm she has done you."

...Josette was at Widow's Hill "Don't come closer!" she shouted "don't or I'll jump! I swear I will!"

...no...no..

Megan shot Sebastian who was moving closer. She saw that Quentin was getting up. And Joe... The mask was making them rise again...

She hoped that she had enough bullets to keep shooting them until Barnabas smashed the mask.

Josette screamed again, fear and hatred in her face. "Don't"

"Josette" he said. He somehow knew that she wasn't real. But he was no immune to her face, to the memories it awoke in him. The insane belief that he could make things different took hold of him.

And Angelique's cruel laughter ran into his ears.

Yolanda moved one step closer, her hand ready to receive the mask.

Then it was Sarah's face as she lay dying... Flash... Jeremiah, his face a mask of hurt and bewilderment as he lifted his gun... Flash... Naomi lifting the wine glass with poison in it... Flash... the girl dying in his arms as he, in his anger and desperation, broke her neck after drinking her blood...

And Angelique laughed...

What did he owe her, anyway?

Yet he clutched the mask closer to himself, away from Yolanda's hand, and, with a spurt of energy, he banged it against the rock.

The men were paralyzed by this, and Megan, taking advantage of the moment broke Angelique's manacles.

Sebastian managed to point a cross at her.

She shrugged.. "You got the wrong information. Crosses do not affect me;" She shot him again... They were going to be quite sore when this was done, with all those rubber bullets... well, Angelique could heal them..

"Give me the mask" Yolanda told Barnabas"

Barnabas could not strike the mask against the stone. He should keep it from Yolanda.. but help Angelique? Help the woman who had destroyed her family?

"Smash it!" Megan commanded him.

... Josette looked at him with hate filled eyes. She knew him for what he was and hated him for it. She hated what Angelique had done to him..

"Smash it!"

...He wanted Angelique to be punished...

He banged the mask against the stone. Again and again...

Josette vanished. He was back in the caves, his hand clutching the gold mask.

Pain reached his hand as the mask began to burn him. He bit his lips, and hit it again.

Angelique had fallen to her knees. She felt her strength return now. Joe, Roger , Quentin circle her and Megan.

"You all right?" Megan asked. "I am almost out of rubber bullets."

"A few more moment to catch my breath and I'll take over."

Barnabas' hand burned. So did the inside of his head. And for what? For the woman who had wrecked her life? Yet he kept hitting the mask and pushing Yolanda away. Sebastian pushed the cross in his direction. He had to back away, but did not release the mask. He kept hitting and hitting against the rock.

Josette kept looking at him, reproachfully.

"It had to be Josette. For the sins and crimes of our ancestors, we were sacrificed. Blame not Angelique for being the instrument of retribution..."

He knew that it was an illusion, but even if it was not, it needed to be said.

He kept hitting the mask, determined not to be swayed by the phantoms of the past.

Then Josette broke... her figure was bent out of shape and dissolved into smoke.

Josette was gone. In her place stood Yolanda, with bewilderment on her face. The men looked bewildered too. And in great pain...

He lifted his hand and looked at the battered wreck that he still held.

The face had disappeared. the eyes were now two more holes among others, maybe with regular edges. So was the mouth. The nose hade been almost completely flattened out.

It was not a face, not a mask. Only a piece of oddly shaped metal.

Joe, Roger, Quentin and Sebastian looked at each other numbly as Angelique tended to their injuries. Rubber bullets did not kill, but they could bruise, and sometimes seriously..

It was Sebastian who broke the silence. "Roxanne!" he screamed "Roxanne! Come back!"

And as he screamed and sobbed, he fell to his knees.

Angelique moved to him. She had been angry with him, but not anymore. She felt pity for him.

"You!" Sebastian looked at her with hatred "I lost her because of you! I could have brought her back to life, but I failed, and now she's gone."

"It was never her." Angelique said softly "It only seemed so."

He did not answer her.

Joe was visibly embarrassed. He knew what he had been supposed to do when Megan had sent him to tail Sebastian and what he had done instead.

"Sorry, boss" he muttered. "I did not know... I saw the way it was with her. I remembered too much" he could not keep from looking angrily at Angelique. "What she did to Sam Evans, and how I ended in Wyncliffe... I thought it was justice."

"He has a point" Angelique said sadly "So does Roger. And Sebastian... Why Barnabas did not give in too, I can't understand.."

"Because I knew that it was an illusion. And because I knew that you had been merely an instrument used to punish us for the sins of our ancestors."

"Still, you had the best right of all to hate me. And yet you did not."

"I had no right to it. And I would not accept gifts from Zachary. Their price is too high."

"And what about me?" Megan put her arm around Angelique's shoulders.

"Megan" Angelique embraced her. "You came for me, when I thought no one would.."

Roger, Quentin, and Joe had gathered together, looking at the ground and saying nothing. Sebastian wept. Barnabas moved away, not condemning them, understanding that they might want to be alone, by themselves. He knew how it felt to be used by a power stronger than any resistance you could offer. He knew the sense of personal violation that followed such possession. He knew that to a certain point they had welcomed Judah's use of them because they had been offered some of the things that they wanted, or because old fears had been awakened. He could not judge them.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Barnabas flew over Collinwood, watching Yolanda. He wondered how long it would take, and if this would truly lead them to Angelique and the mask.

He kept watch, ignoring his hunger pangs. That, he'd attend to later, when she went to sleep. But he hoped that she went to sleep earlier. It made him cranky to have to wait... He was too accustomed to doing it as soon as he woke up.

It was only one hour later that Yolanda got up from her chair, and instead of retiring, changed into a robe. A ceremonial robe... Barnabas' heart jumped. This had to be it.

Yolanda put on jeans, tucking the robe inside them, then put a bulky jacket on top. Looking around to make sure that no one watched, she opened the window and climbed down the ivy.

Flattening himself against the wall, Barnabas saw her get to the ground. He changed to mist to follow her. She might be suspicious of bats...

Yolanda went down towards the caves. Joe was approaching, too. So were Roger, Quentin, and Sebastian.

He sensed Megan's presence behind Sebastian.

Yolanda took off her jacket and jeans and stood in her ceremonial robe.

The three men stood together, their right arms bared and extended towards her. She took a small knife and made small cuts in each of their arms, mingling their blood together.

A momentary pang of hunger ran through him, as he knew was running through Megan. But he significance lf the act was too strong to escape him. He experienced revulsion because he knew what they were doing. They were giving themselves in bondage to her and Zachary.

He hoped that the bondage would be broken when the mask was destroyed, as the blood sizzled on their wrists, leaving a brand behind.

They parted, their eyes having acquired a strange gleam. Like the Urien had before he awoke him.

And Yolanda... she was smiling slightly, as if enjoying her power.

He would hurt her. No one did that to Joe, to Roger, even Quentin and Sebastian if he could do something about it.

They joined their hands up in the air, like ancient warriors, reciting an oath and shouted three times words that Barnabas could not understand. An ancient language, very ancient...

They went into the caves. There were plenty of bats hibernating in there, so Barnabas felt that it was safe to become a bat again. Megan did the same. They followed Yolanda and the three men, creeping up the crevices of the rocks.

It was the whimpering that told them that Angelique was there.

They saw her hanging from a chain by her wrists. Then they saw the gleams of gold.

The mask. It was there.

Yolanda held the mask in her hand, then extended it. Sebastian put a knife in her other hand. She walked towards Angelique, the blade held high.

She began to put the mask on her face.

That was enough for Barnabas. He dived towards Yolanda, changing shape just before he tore the mask from her hand.

The men looked stunned as he stood at the other end of the cave, the mask pressed against his chest.

"Give it back to me!" Yolanda shouted, her face contorted with rage. "It is not yours!"

Joe, Roger and Quentin moved towards Angelique and surrounded her.

That was enough for Megan. She took out her gun and shot all three. They fell down, stunned by the rubber bullets, and Megan stood next to Angelique, shielding her with her body.

Yolanda moved towards Barnabas "Give it to me. What is she to you that you care for her? Remember all the harm she has done you."

...Josette was at Widow's Hill "Don't come closer!" she shouted "don't or I'll jump! I swear I will!"

...no...no..

Megan shot Sebastian who was moving closer. She saw that Quentin was getting up. And Joe... The mask was making them rise again...

She hoped that she had enough bullets to keep shooting them until Barnabas smashed the mask.

Josette screamed again, fear and hatred in her face. "Don't"

"Josette" he said. He somehow knew that she wasn't real. But he was no immune to her face, to the memories it awoke in him. The insane belief that he could make things different took hold of him.

And Angelique's cruel laughter ran into his ears.

Yolanda moved one step closer, her hand ready to receive the mask.

Then it was Sarah's face as she lay dying... Flash... Jeremiah, his face a mask of hurt and bewilderment as he lifted his gun... Flash... Naomi lifting the wine glass with poison in it... Flash... the girl dying in his arms as he, in his anger and desperation, broke her neck after drinking her blood...

And Angelique laughed...

What did he owe her, anyway?

Yet he clutched the mask closer to himself, away from Yolanda's hand, and, with a spurt of energy, he banged it against the rock.

The men were paralyzed by this, and Megan, taking advantage of the moment broke Angelique's manacles.

Sebastian managed to point a cross at her.

She shrugged.. "You got the wrong information. Crosses do not affect me;" She shot him again... They were going to be quite sore when this was done, with all those rubber bullets... well, Angelique could heal them..

"Give me the mask" Yolanda told Barnabas"

Barnabas could not strike the mask against the stone. He should keep it from Yolanda.. but help Angelique? Help the woman who had destroyed her family?

"Smash it!" Megan commanded him.

... Josette looked at him with hate filled eyes. She knew him for what he was and hated him for it. She hated what Angelique had done to him..

"Smash it!"

...He wanted Angelique to be punished...

He banged the mask against the stone. Again and again...

Josette vanished. He was back in the caves, his hand clutching the gold mask.

Pain reached his hand as the mask began to burn him. He bit his lips, and hit it again.

Angelique had fallen to her knees. She felt her strength return now. Joe, Roger , Quentin circle her and Megan.

"You all right?" Megan asked. "I am almost out of rubber bullets."

"A few more moment to catch my breath and I'll take over."

Barnabas' hand burned. So did the inside of his head. And for what? For the woman who had wrecked her life? Yet he kept hitting the mask and pushing Yolanda away. Sebastian pushed the cross in his direction. He had to back away, but did not release the mask. He kept hitting and hitting against the rock.

Josette kept looking at him, reproachfully.

"It had to be Josette. For the sins and crimes of our ancestors, we were sacrificed. Blame not Angelique for being the instrument of retribution..."

He knew that it was an illusion, but even if it was not, it needed to be said.

He kept hitting the mask, determined not to be swayed by the phantoms of the past.

Then Josette broke... her figure was bent out of shape and dissolved into smoke.

Josette was gone. In her place stood Yolanda, with bewilderment on her face. The men looked bewildered too. And in great pain...

He lifted his hand and looked at the battered wreck that he still held.

The face had disappeared. the eyes were now two more holes among others, maybe with regular edges. So was the mouth. The nose hade been almost completely flattened out.

It was not a face, not a mask. Only a piece of oddly shaped metal.

Joe, Roger, Quentin and Sebastian looked at each other numbly as Angelique tended to their injuries. Rubber bullets did not kill, but they could bruise, and sometimes seriously..

It was Sebastian who broke the silence. "Roxanne!" he screamed "Roxanne! Come back!"

And as he screamed and sobbed, he fell to his knees.

Angelique moved to him. She had been angry with him, but not anymore. She felt pity for him.

"You!" Sebastian looked at her with hatred "I lost her because of you! I could have brought her back to life, but I failed, and now she's gone."

"It was never her." Angelique said softly "It only seemed so."

He did not answer her.

Joe was visibly embarrassed. He knew what he had been supposed to do when Megan had sent him to tail Sebastian and what he had done instead.

"Sorry, boss" he muttered. "I did not know... I saw the way it was with her. I remembered too much" he could not keep from looking angrily at Angelique. "What she did to Sam Evans, and how I ended in Wyncliffe... I thought it was justice."

"He has a point" Angelique said sadly "So does Roger. And Sebastian... Why Barnabas did not give in too, I can't understand.."

"Because I knew that it was an illusion. And because I knew that you had been merely an instrument used to punish us for the sins of our ancestors."

"Still, you had the best right of all to hate me. And yet you did not."

"I had no right to it. And I would not accept gifts from Zachary. Their price is too high."

"And what about me?" Megan put her arm around Angelique's shoulders.

"Megan" Angelique embraced her. "You came for me, when I thought no one would.."

Roger, Quentin, and Joe had gathered together, looking at the ground and saying nothing. Sebastian wept. Barnabas moved away, not condemning them, understanding that they might want to be alone, by themselves. He knew how it felt to be used by a power stronger than any resistance you could offer. He knew the sense of personal violation that followed such possession. He knew that to a certain point they had welcomed Judah's use of them because they had been offered some of the things that they wanted, or because old fears had been awakened. He could not judge them.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

They had all told their stories. They had been reluctant at first, at least some of them, but between Megan's and Barnabas' hypnotic powers they had told all. Quentin had tried to brazen it out, claiming that if Barnabas had not killed Carl, he would not be forced to find some sort of protection against Carl's vengeful spirit, and he had looked upon the mask as protection.

"It was your fault, all of it." he insisted "he kept haunting my dreams. I was threatened with the same thigh he did to you, the guillotine, Remember? Only with me, no one would miss me, no one would look for me. I had to take care of myself..

Barnabas did not answer. In a sense, Quentin was right. Something should have been done about Carl. If it had been anyone else he would have helped Quentin. but he had been afraid of what Carl could do to him again, so he abandoned Quentin to his fate.

How could he blame him then? Would he have behaved differently?

Megan was less understanding with Yolanda. "You came looking for your inheritance, is that it?" she asked, insultingly.

"It was mine! Mine and my mother's!"" Yolanda said defiantly "And if it had not been for her.." she pointed to Angelique "we would..."

"I underrated you got a trust fund and a settlement that was quite generous. Enough to allow you to live comfortably and to pay for your education."

"We were entitled to all of it! Mother was Uncle Sky's only relatiive."

"And that should be enough? What had you ever done to deserve it?"

Yolanda gulped, taken aback by Megan's angry words.

"I told you." she insisted "we were his only relatives."

"Did you earn any of it? No, your uncle did. Do you know how he earned it? Did you care to find out about Nicholas Blair and Jebez Hawkes? And anyway, it was _his _money, would you have denied him the right to marry at all?"

"She was not married to him! The marriage wasn't legal! She's a bigamist! A fortune hunter!"

"And what are you?"

"We are entitled to it!"

"Are you? Just for being born? Is that your goal in life? To sit and wait until some rich relative kicks the bucket so that you can inherit? You were provided for.

"A mere pittance!"

"A pittance? You must have expensive tastes. I never had has much money as that for quite a while. And I was not living in poverty. I had to work hard, of course. But that's no disgrace and no calamity. And these days it is a lot easier for a woman to earn a decent living, specially with a good education, which you could have had.

"But it was _our_ money."

"It was your uncle's money. To give as he saw fit. You did not have an automatic right to it. You had more than enough and should have put what you had to good use, instead of acting like a character form a bad novel. Wake up, kid. This is the twentieth century and women have better things to do than scheme for inheritances and scramble for rich husbands. Go to college, get a good education and make your way into the world."

Yolanda looked at Angelique venomously "What about her? She got a rich husband, didn't she?"

Angelique answered mildly "I did not need Schuyller's money. I loved him, and I thought he loved me. I thought him to be a differnt kind of man than what he was. He deceived me."

"He? You deceived him! You never told him you were married. Are you going to deny that you are Cassandra Blair Collins?"

Megan got up, very slowly "Miss Oates, or Overton, or whatever your name is, I'm running out of patience. You came here under false pretenses. You played a dangerous game with forces that are beyond your comprehension. You must have felt misgivings at one time or another, but you continued, most imprudently on your course. You were lucky that I wanted to know what was happening. And instead of being grateful, as you should, or at least curious, you are trying to put the blame on Angelique. You are an idiot."

"And who killed my uncle? Did she? It surely wasn't an accident. Or suicide."

"Your uncle was a coyote and worse. " Megan said venomously "he went around looking for trouble and he found it. I can't say that I am sorry that he got it. As to what happened, he did the same you did. He thought that he could get easy money by playing with forces that were beyond his understanding and he found out too late how dangerous that was. He dealt with Nicholas, and you met him. Then with Jebez Hawkes, who was along the lines of Judah Zachary. He thought he had it made and found otherwise. You are luckier than he was. Don't push your luck."

"Who killed him?" Yolanda insisted, not willing to acknowledge defeat.

"Whoever did it, has my thanks. He harmed a lot of people, me included. I would let the matter of his death lie down. It does no one good. But if you are still interested, I will tell you about Jebez Hawkes and Nicholas Blair."

She did. Yolanda listened to it reluctantly. She looked startled when Barnabas' and Megan's vampirism was revealed, but she should not be. She had had time to learn of it.

Megan went on to Jeb's betrayal of his people and marriage to Carolyn, then to Jeb's death, pushed by Rumsen on Nicholas' orders.

"So you see, he was not someone you should waste time on mourning. He got what he deserved, more or less."

"But he _was_ murdered."

"He betrayed Barnabas to Hawkes. He chose to betray humanity for gain. You want me to spell it out? He was a no-good traitor. In less tolerant times he would have been shot at dawn. From the back."

"But..." Yolanda tried to protest. "Angelique is a witch"

"Yes. she is. So what? She was the injured party in this."

"And you are a vampire." she made it sound like an accusation.

"Thanks to your uncle, I am. Are you going to use it against me? You'll be truly your uncle's niece if you do."

"But.. but.."

"But nothing."

Yolanda hesitated "What is going to happen to me now?" she finally asked.

"You'll probably be fired. After Quentin and Roger tell Carolyn what you have been up to, she may well decide that you are not the kind of person she wants to entrust her son. I don't think you cared much about the job, anyway."

"And then?"

"Then you can look for something else to do. Find another job. Go back to college. You _do_ have the money for it, don't you? It is none of my concern."

"Do I have to leave town?"

"Why would you want to stay here?"

"I...I don't want to leave."

Megan snorted. "Frankly I can't say that I believe you, nor I can understand why you would want to stay. But I can't stop you, if that's what you want."

* * *

"So it is another happy ending. "George said, slipping his hand under Barnabas' shirt.

"Not so happy. Sebastian's heartbroken. And whatever was between him and Angelique has gone down the drain. Which means that Angelique is unattached again and on the prowl."

"Are you afraid that she may come after you?"

"She has been known to do that in the past..."

"Well, we will handle it...You know, I should be sore that you kept me in the dark."

"We did not know who they had in their power. We knew for certain about Sebastian, and about Joe. The rest were all suspects. Including you."

"Yes, I understand that... But Barnabas, do you realize that Megan teamed up with you? Do you know what that mans?"

"That she trusts me enough to run an operation with me?"

"That's huge. Not so long ago, all she trusted you to do was to screw things up. But now she teams up and thinks nothing of it."

"Yes, It is strange. Suddenly we were a team, and we did not think it strange..

* * *

Angelique rested her head on Megan's shoulders. "I had given up" she confessed. "All those who would have helped me, Judah turned against me. And they had reason to hate me. Barnabas had the most reasons of all, and yet he smashed the mask... Yes, you were there, too, but you never had reason to hate me.. But him... it would have been so easy for him to leave me to my fate."

"Darling." Megan put her arm around her. "that's the way it is. Your evil is in the past, and he knows it. And do not talk so much of him. You may be starting to obsess with him again. And we all know what that leads up to."

"No. That is over. I do not really want him. Maybe I never really did. I just wanted him to... to treat me like a lady..."

"Well, he did, and you do not care for him?"

"Maybe I never did."

Megan kissed her softly. "One thing, Angelique, I am worried about your being caught unaware and made helpless. It is the second time it happens. I wonder why you have become vulnerable all of a sudden."

* * *

Sebastian wept, all alone, holding himself.

It had seemed so real, so close. Why couldn't it have lasted?

Why couldn't he have made it last. Roxanne had been so lose to him. It could have been the way it had been.

If only he had destroyed the witch instead of letting himself be destroyed by her.

And now it was too late.. to late for anything. He had had his chance and lost it.

* * *

Will Yolanda leave, or will she cook up more mischief? What will Adam, now a widower do? Will he attempt to romance Carolyn? What does the future hold for Vicky and her baby?

Stay tuned.


End file.
